The State commits to Menorca's energy self-sufficiency by 2030

CitadelSeven years and four months after the power outage that left Menorca literally in the dark and without electricity for 56 hours, Red Eléctrica has begun the administrative process to install the second submarine cable to Mallorca. Starting in 2030, this cable will definitively reinforce the island's electrical system, restoring power throughout the day and even allowing for...

The president of Red Eléctrica, former minister Beatriz Corredor, and the Secretary of State for Energy, Joan Groizard, presented the details of the project this Friday at the headquarters of the Consell Insular in Maó. The project will cost 230 million euros and will link both islands via a 6-gauge submarine cable at a maximum depth of 146 meters. The future interconnection, on which Red Eléctrica has been working for three years, will originate at the Alcúdia substation (Sant Martí) and enter Ciutadella via the port of Son Blanc, reaching the substation located opposite Lithica. The new cable, expected to be operational in 2030, will reduce the costs of the Balearic electricity system by €36.3 million and lower CO2 emissions.₂ In Menorca, this amounts to 154,000 tons annually, the equivalent – ​​according to Groizard – of 85,000 flights between Menorca and Mallorca.

The project is being processed in parallel with the connection between Mallorca and the mainland, although it can be implemented independently. In total, the new electricity plan contemplates an investment of over €2.5 billion in the Balearic Islands, the highest in Spain. The double link between the islands and with the mainland will cover 65% of energy demand, save €363 million in the electricity system, and reduce CO2 emissions by 689,000 tons.₂ in the Archipelago.

Batteries for storing energy

Additionally, this year a battery system similar to the one already existing in Sant Antoni (Ibiza) will be installed at the Mercadal electrical substation in Menorca. With its 50 MW of capacity, it will allow for the storage of some of the energy generated on the island. The investment in this initiative amounts to another 50 million euros.

Groizard, the only speaker at the event who spoke in Catalan, said that the second cable "is an important step for Menorca to become fully renewable and self-sufficient." He added that, by being integrated into the mainland grid, it will also allow Menorcans to enjoy "more competitive energy prices." In this context, the Maó thermal power plant will be used "only as backup "Reserve" in case of need.

The state representative highlighted the importance of the Mercadal batteries "so as not to have to wait until 2030 to increase renewable generation capacity in Menorca" and announced the "upcoming approval of a new regulatory framework that will allow for improved energy storage in the island territories." In response to the demand made by the President of the Consell, Adolfo Vilafranca, who, after thanking the government for the investment, lamented that "the pace of adaptation of public infrastructure does not always keep up with that of private initiative," which has already added 144 MW of installed photovoltaic capacity on the island and "already has the capacity to integrate the completed renewable energy installations that cannot be connected" to the electrical grid. "It is important," he emphasized, "that Menorca's commitment to leading the energy transition is matched by investments and decisions that can no longer be delayed." This MW already exceeds the peak demand that Menorca registers in the middle of summer, which is 120 MW.

Joan Groizard finally addressed the concerns raised in Menorca by the presentation of two offshore wind farm projects in the northeast of the island, which also prompted a reaction from President Vilafranca, who called for "giving Menorca a voice, as these initiatives are viewed with particular sensitivity due to their potential impact on the landscape." The Secretary of State conveyed "a message of reassurance," stating that "these are merely project proposals that the developers have chosen to present, but they are not yet being processed. We have simply launched an open consultation on offshore wind energy, and our commitment is to begin expanding it to areas where there is greater consensus."