Iberdrola Spain has started operating the first group of the Valdecañas pumped storage hydroelectric power plant, located in Cáceres, Extremadura. This facility has a total capacity of 225 MW and includes a 15 MW hybrid battery and 7.5 MWh of stored energy, increasing its energy storage capacity in the Tagus system to 210 GWh.
The Valdecañas hydroelectric power station
The Valdecañas power plant is designed to operate as a reversible pumping system , allowing energy to be stored during times of low demand and released when consumption increases. This mechanism, which acts as a ” giant battery ” using water from the Valdecañas and Torrejón-Tajo reservoirs, contributes to the stability of the electricity grid without generating additional consumption of water resources. In addition, the technological improvements implemented in Group 1 will allow the pumping capacity of the facility to be fully recovered, optimising its performance.
The commissioning of this plant represents a reduction of 200,000 tons of CO₂ per year, in line with the objectives of decarbonisation and energy transition. In addition, it has boosted local employment, generating 165 direct jobs and up to 500 indirect jobs, benefiting small and medium-sized companies in the province of Cáceres.
The development of Valdecañas is part of Iberdrola ‘s commitment to hydroelectric storage in the Iberian Peninsula. The company has recently started similar projects in the pumping system of the Tâmega power plants in Portugal, Valparaíso ( Zamora ), Santiago Sil-Xares ( Galicia ) and Torrejón ( Cáceres ). In addition, a new project in Alcántara, Cáceres, has obtained a favourable Environmental Impact Statement and permission to access the grid, consolidating the commitment to energy optimisation and emissions reduction.
Pumped storage hydroelectric plants represent a great solution for the energy transition by allowing better management of intermittent renewable sources. Through their rapid response capacity and independence from hydrological conditions, these facilities guarantee greater security in the electricity supply and efficient integration of clean energy into the grid.
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Source and photos: Iberdrola Spain
