Red Eléctrica obtains authorization to upgrade the Mediano-Pont line in Suert

The General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines, of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, has granted Red Eléctrica de España, S.A.U. the prior administrative authorization and the administrative construction authorization for the repowering project of the 220 kV overhead line Mediano – Pont de Suert, in the provinces of Huesca and Lleida. The resolution is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Huesca no. 190, dated October 5, 2026, within the State Administration section (official reference BOPH-2026-190019).

The company requested the authorizations and the environmental impact statement on December 20, 2023. The file was processed in the Industry and Energy Area of the Government Sub-delegation in Huesca and in the Industry and Energy Department of the Government Sub-delegation in Lleida, in accordance with Royal Decree 1955/2000, of December 1, and Law 21/2013, of December 9, on environmental assessment.

The action is part of the Electric Energy Transmission Network Development Plan 2021-2026, approved by Agreement of the Council of Ministers on March 22, 2022, and responds to the objective of integrating renewables and resolving technical restrictions.

A 49.28-kilometer line between Huesca and Lleida

The line originates at the Mediano substation (Huesca) and ends at the Pont de Suert substation (Lleida), with a total length of 49.28 km, of which 48.47 km run through Huesca and 0.81 km through Lleida. It is a three-phase alternating current installation at 50 Hz, with a nominal voltage of 220 kV and a highest network voltage of 245 kV, a single circuit, and CARDINAL type conductor.

The objective is to increase the transmission capacity of the line, which increases from 384 MVA per circuit to 710 MVA per circuit in summer and 850 MVA per circuit in winter. To achieve this, the maximum operating temperature is raised from 50 ºC to 85 ºC, which requires raising the conductors to maintain the regulatory distances to the ground and to crossings with railways and roads.

Six heightened supports and seven replaced strings

The project includes a four-meter height increase for six supports, all in the province of Huesca:

• Support 26, in La Fueva.
• Support 43, in La Fueva.
• Support 66, in Valle de Bardají.
• Support 89, in Valle de Lierp.
• Support 95, in Valle de Lierp.
• Support 140, in Bonansa.

Additionally, the suspension strings will be replaced by suspended tie-type strings at supports 6 (Palo), 63 (Valle de Bardají), 69 (Foradada del Toscar), 96 (Torre la Ribera), 130 (Beranuy), 145, and 149 (Bonansa).

Environmental conditions and municipal opposition

The Environmental Impact Statement was finalized by Resolution of November 13, 2025, from the General Directorate of Environmental Quality and Evaluation, published in the Official State Gazette no. 285, of November 27, 2025. Among the conditions are prior botanical surveys, fauna monitoring at supports 95 and 96, intensive surveys in the vicinity of support 43 due to the presence of bearded vultures and red kites, and anti-collision signaling along the entire route, intensified in the SPA ES0000281 “El Turbón y la Sierra del Sis”. The promoter must appoint an environmental coordinator and execute an environmental monitoring program throughout the useful life of the installation.

During the processing, the town councils of Palo and La Fueva submitted reports of opposition for urban and environmental reasons; La Fueva eventually reached an agreement with Red Eléctrica and expressed its non-opposition. No allegations were received during the public information process, disseminated in the Official State Gazette no. 39, of February 14, 2024, in the Official Gazette of the Province of Huesca no. 37, of February 22, 2024, and in the Official Gazette of the Province of Lleida no. 54, of March 15, 2024.

Deadlines and appeal process

The annex of the resolution sets the deadline for the issuance of the Operating Authorization at thirty-six months, counted from the notification to the petitioner, and requires the holder to communicate the completion of the works to the competent provincial body. Against the resolution, which does not end the administrative route, an administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) may be filed before the holder of the Secretary of State for Energy within one month.

The authorization comes after the favorable report of the National Commission on Markets and Competition, issued by administrative silence after fifteen business days passed without a response.

The repowering reinforces a key infrastructure to evacuate renewable generation from the Aragonese and Catalan Pyrenees, with almost the entire route in the territory of Huesca, and is accompanied by a broad package of environmental and monitoring measures for the affected municipalities.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Huesca, no. 190, of October 5, 2026, State Administration, pp. 55-63 (official reference: BOPH-2026-190019).