- Of the 170 supply lines initially affected, virtually all those supplied electricity to homes have already been restored and it is estimated that complete reconstruction of the grid will take about 3 weeks.
- There is a team of 30 people working on the reconstruction, with technicians and materials from other islands to strengthen the operation.
- The fire damaged 170 low voltage supports and about 9 kilometres of low voltage lines.
Endesa has launched a plan to reconstruct the electricity infrastructure in La Palma affected by a fire that broke out early on Saturday morning and consumed almost 3,000 hectares in the northwest of the island. Of the 170 supply lines left without voltage because of the fire, most of those that supply homes have already been restored. About 50 remain consisting of between tool sheds, warehouses and some homes. The aim now is to rebuild the low-voltage networks and be able to recover all supplies as soon as possible.
Endesa has collaborated right from the start with the firefighting services and the advanced command post, as well as with the representative bodies and authorities. This involved removing fallen cables and supports that were damaged after the fire had passed, as well as anticipating problems by cutting off the electricity supply to minimise electrical risk while the fire was being put out.
The fire did not affect the island's medium-voltage grid, but it did damage the low-voltage infrastructure. An initial analysis indicated that at least 170 low voltage supports and approximately 9 km of the networks they support were affected.
On Sunday e-distribución, a subsidiary of Endesa Redes, already transferred material from other islands including 100 poles and 9 km of low voltage cables to La Palma, and this in addition to material already stored on the island, will enable the installations damaged by the fire to be reconstructed. However, everything is ready should more material need to be moved.
Endesa already has a team of 30 people working in La Palma to recover the supply, after reinforcing the device with personnel from other islands to progress in the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure that it is estimated will take about 3 weeks to completely rebuild.
About Endesa
Endesa is a leading 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 electricity generation, distribution and marketing business. Through Endesa X, it also offers value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy usage in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. It is also the leading operator of charging stations in Spain through Endesa X Way, a business line dedicated entirely to electric mobility. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribución and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,260 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.