A ceremony has commemorated the start of work on the 200 MW Salto de Chira pumped storage project in the Canary Islands.
Red Eléctrica Infraestructuras en Canarias (REINCAN), a subsidiary of Red Eléctrica de España, was created in 2015 with the aim of promoting energy storage projects in the Canary Islands. The Salto de Chira project will reinforce Gran Canaria’s supply and will increase the integration of renewable energies into the system, according to a release.
The work, which will last 70 months, will involve an investment of more than €400 million ($449.4 million) and will generate more than 4,300 jobs, including more than 3,500 on the island of Gran Canaria. The facility will generate estimated savings for the electrical system of €122 million ($137.1 million) per year by promoting the energy independence of the island and reducing fossil fuel imports. The administrative process to build the project began in October 2016.
The Salto de Chira plant takes advantage of the existence of two large reservoirs (the Chira and Soria dams) located in the interior of the island. In total, 91% of the project’s infrastructure will be located underground. The project will add a capacity of 200 MW (equivalent to about 36% of Gran Canaria’s peak demand) and provide 3.5 GWh of storage.
In addition, it includes a seawater desalination station and associated marine works. Water will be an essential element for operation of the new infrastructure, but it is also a scarce resource in the archipelago. For this reason, the Salto de Chira will guarantee the necessary flow in the reservoirs for the operation of the plant through the water desalination plant.
Red Eléctrica de España said the project will help increase the integration of renewable energies in the system, by storing surplus electricity from these facilities. It is estimated that, in 2026, the Salto de Chira facility will be able to increase renewable production by 37%, raising the average annual coverage of demand with this type of generation to 51%. Additionally, this will allow a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions.
