Get to know Los Guájares PSHP
An essential project thanks to its value
- Los Guájares Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant (PSHP) with a maximum turbine cycle power of 340 MW and a maximum pumping cycle power of 404 MW.
- Access to the transmission network at the Saleres 220 kV substation obtained in July 2019.
- Hybridisation: up to an additional 150 MW with wind and solar photovoltaic technology.
- Application for prior administrative authorisation, construction authorisation and environmental impact statement dated December 22, 2020.
- Municipalities: Vélez de Benaudalla and El Pinar
Pumped Storage hydroelectric power plants are essential for the integration of the renewable energy into the electricity system, acting as gigabatteries.
- Los Guájares Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant (PSHP) has a maximum turbine cycle power of 340 MW and a maximum pumping cycle power of 404 MW.
- Hybridisation potential of up to an additional 150 MW with renewable wind and solar photovoltaic technology.
Benefits
of the project
Spain is immersed in a change of its energy system to decarbonise the economy. To this end, it has promoted an unprecedented deployment of renewable energy with the aim that by 2030 renewable energy will account for 74% of total electricity generation and turn Spain into a carbon neutral country by 2050.
To achieve this deployment of renewable energy, storage has become an essential factor in providing greater management capacity for generation. Together with the promotion of flexibility and demand management, this will allow greater integration of renewable generation in the system, contributing to security of supply.
Large-scale reversible pumping projects, such as Los Guájares PSHP, are essential for the Spanish electricity system to achieve these objectives — set out in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC).
Los Guájares PSHP is located in the municipalities of Vélez de Benaudalla and El Pinar in the province of Granada (Andalusia, southern Spain) and takes water from the Rules reservoir that currently exists.
Los Guájares PSHP will provide significant benefits for the Spanish electricity system in addition to being a very relevant investment for the area where it is located, as well as an important vector for job creation in the area during the construction and operation of the Project.
Among the main benefits of Los Guájares PSHP are:
- An increase in renewables in the Spanish electricity system
- Power storage at surplus times
- Increased network stability
- System safety
- Reduction in generation curtailment
- Improvement of the efficiency and flexibility of the electrical system in addition to improving the management for matching supply and demand
- Utility scale energy storage and allow efficient management of peak hour coverage
- Providing additional services to the electrical system such as blackstarts, voltage and frequency control of the network
- Contribution to the decarbonisation of the Spanish electricity system
- Reduction and equilibrium in the energy price
It also achieves these benefits through the responsible use of water, which is a very scarce resource in this area of Spain.
Developer
Mowe is developing the project of the Los Guajares hydroelectric plant through its subsidiary Hidroeléctrica Los Guajares. Mowe Energía is a company committed to the challenges of ecological transition and decarbonisation that Europe is going through. Mowe has extensive experience in the development, construction, operation and energy management of generation power plants using renewable sources and has a staff of highly trained professionals with extensive experience in the different fields of the energy sector.
Spanish commitment
to decarbonisation
Spain has shown a clear commitment to decarbonising its economy that has materialised in the preparation of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 (PNIEC)
The Spanish PNIEC 2021-2030 aims to advance through decarbonisation, laying a firm foundation to consolidate a trajectory of climate neutrality of the economy and society by 2050.
The main objectives of the PNIEC are:
- A 23% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to 1990.
- 42% of renewables over the final use of energy.
- 39.5% improvement in energy efficiency.
- 74% of renewable energy in electricity generation.
To achieve these objectives, energy storage is one of the keys in the design of the new electrical system.
Technical description
Reversible hydroelectric power plants consist of installations that carry out water pumping and turbine cycles between tanks located at different heights by means of a closed circuit so that the water balance used is zero.
These types of generation plants have a proven experience with more than 100 GW of installed capacity globally. It is estimated that they have a useful life of more than 50 years.
The case of the Los Guájares PSHP is a cave plant, so the main equipment is hidden under the surface.
The main features of the plant are:
- Number of installations: 2
- Type: Francis vertical
- Power: 2 ×170 MW (turbine) | 2×200 MW (pump)
- Head: 580 – 613 metres
- Upper reservoir: 1.4 Hm³
- Length of hydraulic circuit < 3 km
- Flow rate 65 m3/s (turbine) | 55 m³/s (pump)
The main components of this type of plant are:
- Upper reservoir: dam in which the water is stored for subsequent turbination
- Upper reservoir intake: hydraulic installation through which the water will be taken for its turbination.
- Penstock: high pressure conduit that connects the upper reservoir with the engine house.
- Surge Tank: Hydraulic installation whose purpose is to avoid over-pressures and contribute to stability in the operation of the plant
- Engine house: cave construction where the main equipment such as turbines, guard valves, generators and transformers are housed.
- Low pressure gallery: tunnel that connects the engine house with the lower reservoir intake (Rules Reservoir).
- Lower reservoir: hydraulic installation through which the water for pumping will be taken from the Rules reservoir.
- Substation: Electrical installation where the necessary equipment is located to connect the electrical energy generated in the plant to the electrical transport network.
Interconnection to the Electrical System
Los Guájares PSHP is connected to the transport network at the Saleres 220 kV node, belonging to the Spanish Transmission System Operator (Red Electrica de España -REE-) through an underground air interconnection line of 220kV with a length of 21 km. This evacuation line, together with other interconnection equipment, will be shared with other generators that pour their energy into the system at the same point in the transport network.
Community Interest Project
Nominated project of community interest by delegated regulation 24/1041 of the European Commission of 28 November 2023.
Development Status
Los Guájares PSHP project has access and connection permits granted in April 2019 by the REE Spanish TSO. In addition, the Directorate General of Public Hydraulic Domain of the Regional Government of Andalusia granted the water concession for 75 years in June 2020.
Currently the project is in the final assessment phase to obtain the environmental impact statement, after having passed the public information phase.
The common evacuation infrastructures, which have been processed together with a report on a wind farm associated with the project, have obtained the unified environmental authorization, the prior administrative authorization and the administrative construction authorization, granted by the Regional Government of Andalusia.
Hybridization
The Project has an important hybridisation potential with both wind and solar PV energy up to 150 MW.
Institutional support
Los Guájares PSHP project has such a dimension and importance that it has received the support of different administrations and organizations such as the Ministry of Ecological Transition in Spain (MITERD), the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) and the Spanish TSO (REE), who have shown their support to the project in front to the European Commission, the Regional Government of Andalusia and the affected municipalities have also shown their support to the Project.
