- The aim is for both plants to support the distribution and transmission networks in the event of an incident.
- Assembly of the first of these facilities in Los Llanos de Ariadne has reached an advanced stage, whilst work on the second in Las Manchas will start shortly.
Endesa has begun its emergency plan for the reconstruction of the electrification system on the island of La Palma, which was severely damaged as a result of the numerous eruptions of the Cumbre Vieja volcano which devastated the island over a three-month period, claiming 130 kilometres of power lines, 85 medium-voltage towers, 1,500 low-voltage wooden posts and 19 distribution centres owned by Endesa.
Endesa is now focused on an ambitious and innovative reconstruction plan for the electrification system of La Palma to ensure continuity of supply and restore normal conditions as swiftly as possible. The first measures of this plan are the creation of a portable thermal plant in Los Llanos de Aridane, which has already almost been assembled, and a second plant, construction of which will start shortly, in Las Manchas, one of the areas hardest hit by volcanic activity.
Barely a day after scientists officially announced the end of the eruption on La Palma, Endesa's Generation and Distribution teams started work designing the total electrical restoration of the island, supervising the work being done in record time in the area of Hermosillas, in Los Llanos de Aridane, where a thermal plant with the capacity to supply 9 MW has virtually been assembled. This is sufficient to fully meet the supply needs of the population of Los Llanos de Aridane. It would start operating in the event of a fault in the current networks, which are being powered by the Los Guinchos thermal plant.
The Los Llanos de Aridane portable thermal plant occupies twelve large containers that were transferred to the island by sea from countries including Italy, Germany and Belgium. Operatives are currently concluding the laying of the underground medium-voltage line connecting the Hermosilla point with the Valle de Aridane substation.
Over the coming weeks work will also start on the mobile thermal plant in Las Manchas, a place severely affected by lava where the aim is to replace the line which linked the north and south of La Palma and which, according to Endesa's technicians, has been completely destroyed. This infrastructure would temporarily replace this ringed circuit and have a capacity of 4 MW.
Endesa's technicians are studying, alongside the island and regional authorities, the potential new routes for reconstruction of the power lines on La Palma. However this work is still largely dependent on the conditions of the lava, which has reached a height of ten metres in certain areas where there were previously towers and electricity poles.
The immediate planning of the mobile plants for Los Llanos de Aridane and Las Manchas highlights the intensive work carried out by Endesa to ensure the power supply on La Palma in the kind of adverse conditions caused by a volcanic eruption. In fact, over the three months of the eruption, e-distribución personnel closely monitored the lava flows, intervening before they reached towers to prevent short circuits and supply problems.
Endesa also has the support on the island of a laboratory vehicle owned by e-distribución which detects possible damage to subterranean cables which during the months of the eruption were subjected to the impact of the high surface temperatures as the lava flows passed.
More than 13,000 requests processed
Endesa is continuing to work on its support plan for the people of La Palma, which was launched in September, with a view to mitigating the economic and social consequences for families caused by the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano. A week ago the free 900920973 telephone helpline went live so that customers in La Palma who wish to request the special rate with 50% discounts for the next six months can do so without having to travel. A total of 13,787 requests have been processed so far - 13,000 through Endesa's three in-person points on La Palma and 787 using the telephone line provided by the company for the exclusive use of La Palma residents.
Note that Endesa customers may continue to use the three service points available on the island, located in Los Llanos de Aridane (C / José González Sobaco, 1), in Santa Cruz de La Palma (C / Avenida El Puente, 35) and in El Paso (C / Tanausú, 8).
A few days after the eruption began, Endesa launched a special support plan for affected customers which included personalised payment plans to postpone or divide bills and special measures for users whose homes were directly affected by the eruption. In fact, contracts have already been automatically terminated and invoices cancelled, from the date the eruption began, for those La Palma residents who have lost their homes as a result of the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano
In total, Endesa has cancelled the contract for 2,700 supply points, which can be re-established free of charge as soon as customers decide to request the resumption of supply.
About Endesa
Endesa is the largest electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end business from generation to marketing and through Endesa X also offers value-added services aimed at the decarbonisation of energy uses in homes, companies, industries and public administrations. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and therefore strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the electrification of the economy and Corporate Social Responsibility. The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,600 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, Europe’s largest electricity group.