Telefónica requests the concession for the El Hierro-La Palma submarine cable

Telefónica de España, S.A. has requested an administrative concession to occupy maritime-terrestrial public domain assets for the execution of the project “El Hierro-La Palma-HIPA submarine telecommunications cable,” which will run between the municipal boundaries of Tazacorte, on the island of La Palma, and Valverde, on the island of El Hierro. The General Directorate of Coasts and Management of the Canarian Maritime Space, under the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility, is submitting the request for public consultation via an announcement published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (Boletín Oficial de Canarias) no. 208, dated October 19, 2026. Any interested party has a period of twenty business days to examine the project and submit any allegations they deem appropriate.

The procedure complies with the provisions of Article 152.8 of the General Coasts Regulation, approved by Royal Decree 876/2014, of October 10, which requires the opening of a public consultation period in concession procedures regarding maritime-terrestrial public domain assets. The announcement is dated September 25, 2026, and was signed in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria by the Director General of Coasts and Management of the Canarian Maritime Space, Antonio Manuel Acosta Felipe; its publication in the regional gazette on October 19 marks the effective start of the deadline calculation.

A route between two islands

The purpose of the request is the occupation of the maritime-terrestrial public domain to install a submarine telecommunications cable that would link the coast of Tazacorte, in La Palma, with that of Valverde, in El Hierro. The project is officially identified by the name “El Hierro-La Palma-HIPA,” and its processing corresponds to the general directorate competent in coasts of the Government of the Canary Islands.

The file refers exclusively to the occupation of maritime-terrestrial public domain assets; the announcement does not detail the length of the route, the installation depth, or the technical characteristics of the cable, data which must be consulted in the project documentation deposited by the Ministry.

Twenty business days to object

The public consultation period is twenty (20) business days and is counted from the day following the publication of the announcement in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, that is, from October 20, 2026. During this period, allegations may be submitted by any interested party.

• Deadline: 20 business days from the day following the publication of the announcement.
• Documentation: available on the Department’s website, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/costas/informacion_publica/index.html.
• In-person consultation: offices of the Department of Public Works, Housing and Mobility, Avenida Francisco La Roche 35, Edificio de Usos Múltiples I, 9th floor, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, by appointment.
• Office hours: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 13:00 hours.
• Applicant: Telefónica de España, S.A.
• Processing body: General Directorate of Coasts and Management of the Canarian Maritime Space.

Regulatory framework and scope of the procedure

The concession is processed in accordance with the General Coasts Regulation, a state regulation that governs the occupation of the maritime-terrestrial public domain and requires public information prior to the resolution. The application is submitted by a commercial entity, Telefónica de España, S.A., for telecommunications use, one of the occupation scenarios provided for in the coasts regulations.

The public information process does not grant the concession: it opens the way for administrations, entities, and individuals who consider themselves affected by the occupation of the coastline to submit observations before the regional body resolves the petition.

The submarine cable connection between La Palma and El Hierro directly affects the coastline of the two involved municipalities, Tazacorte and Valverde, and the overall users of the maritime-terrestrial public domain on both islands. The allegations period is the only formal window for those who may be affected by the occupation to express their views before the resolution of the file; therefore, the announcement published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (Boletín Oficial de Canarias) no. 208 is decisive for the future of the project.

Source: Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, no. 208, October 19, 2026, section V. Announcements (Other announcements), page 37500 (official reference: no. 3593).