The full council of Alcudia approved this Thursday unanimously the review of the electrical interconnection project and, specifically, the landing point of the second link after intense protests from the association of those affected by the route that is already being processed, ANACA. The decision comes after months of intense debate and when an agreement had already been reached months ago by all the administrations involved to define the definitive terrestrial route of the second electrical link between the Balearic Islands and the Peninsula.

The GOB, in line with the Anaca platform, questioned the need for the second electricity cable between the Iberian Peninsula and Mallorca and demanded a less impactful alternative. This project, the environmentalists stated in a press release, not only has "potentially serious" environmental and climate impacts, but its technical and energy necessity has not been properly justified. Furthermore, less impactful alternatives, including prioritizing energy consumption reduction or other efficiency measures, have not been evaluated. Therefore, the GOB filed an appeal with the Ministry for Ecological Transition against the Council of Ministers' agreement approving the grid plan for 2026, which includes this second cable. "This criticism does not dismiss the importance of guaranteeing a secure supply, but rather asserts that energy planning cannot circumvent key issues such as reducing consumption, energy sovereignty, or the social and environmental cost of dependence on large infrastructures," the organization concluded.

The ANACA platform – New Agreement for the Alcúdia Cable – denounced this Wednesday that the route planned by REDEIA for the PENBAL-2 electrical interconnection project has been left "without technical foundation, without territorial coherence, and without social legitimacy." The organization demands a reconsideration of the alternative that avoids Sa Ferradura and argues that the "10-Bis" option, which would enter through the Bay of Alcúdia, is now "the only viable one." According to the platform, the energy and territorial situation of the municipality has changed, while the project "has remained anchored in obsolete arguments." One of the main ones, they claim, is the Murterar thermal power plant, which is expected to close permanently in 2026. For years, this complex had been used as a reason to discard the corridor entering through Alcúdia. "If the power plant no longer exists, neither does the technical limitation," argues ANACA, which asserts that this alternative has never been studied in depth. The organization also accuses the Government and the City Council of "opacity" for not providing technical reports on the viability of the power plant's cooling pipes, which could serve—according to the platform—as a corridor for the new submarine cable. Furthermore, we criticize the fact that, while potential geological risks such as paleochannels have been cited, "REDEIA itself installs more complex cables in much more demanding areas, such as the Bay of Biscay." Territorial changes and new affected parties

ANACA believes the selected land route has not been updated to reflect the recent municipal purchase of the Poble Nou/Gatamoix property, unanimously approved by the City Council and designated for environmental, educational, and cultural uses. The planned route passes very close to this public space and, according to the platform, also affects other facilities such as the Victoria campsite, the municipal sports center, frequently used paths, and homes. The platform asserts that the supposed consensus announced by the City Council "never existed" and that it only considered a small group of residents affected by a previous route. According to ANACA, numerous residents of areas such as Bonaire, Maristany, and the Camí de la Montaña "were not informed and are now the ones most affected." Posidonia seagrass, another point of contention

Another central element of the debate is the state of the Posidonia seagrass meadows. ANACA asserts that the environmental project has insufficiently compared the two bays and criticizes the fact that the announced municipal study to analyze the Alcúdia meadows "was never carried out." Therefore, the platform has commissioned a supplementary review of the maps and underwater images. According to their interpretation of this data, the Pollença meadows are "more continuous and dense," while in Alcúdia there are extensive sandy areas that would allow for less invasive techniques. Overall, they maintain that "it is not true that the Alcúdia option is more damaging." Criticisms of the environmental project

The organization also points out deficiencies in the project's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which—according to the platform—does not adequately compare the alternatives and is based on "outdated" premises, such as the activity of the Murterar power plant. They remind us that European regulations require demonstrating that no less harmful alternatives exist before authorizing impacts on the Natura 2000 network. Among the areas potentially affected by the current route, ANACA cites the CEIP S'Hort des Fasser school, the municipal sports center, the Pollentia protected area, and the Pollentia protected ecosystem. Final claim

In conclusion, ANACA states that "all excuses have fallen apart" and that the route through Sa Ferradura "is no longer justifiable." The platform argues that alternative 10-Bis, through the Bay of Alcúdia, is "technically viable, environmentally less impactful, and socially more just." REDEIA and the relevant institutions have not commented on ANACA's statements in this press release, although the project remains in the environmental impact assessment phase.

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Formentera has achieved another step in its energy transition. Since the launch of the new submarine electricity link with Ibiza, the island's entire electricity demand is covered with energy from the Balearic interconnected system and local renewable sources. The infrastructure, which involved an investment of €96 million, represents a key milestone for supply security and emissions reduction, as highlighted this Monday by the Secretary of State for Energy, Joan Groizard, during his official visit to Formentera's new 132 kV substation.

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The Spanish government has included the second power cable between Menorca and Mallorca in its 2025-30 state investment plan, which will entail an investment of more than €200 million.

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Today, the Balearic Islands are connected to each other and to the Peninsula by submarine electrical interconnections. This has been a huge step forward in ensuring the security of the electricity supply on our islands and, in turn, is key to the energy transition because these links provide us with energy that is mostly from renewable sources.

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