Red Eléctrica is set to resume work at the 200 MW Salto de Chira pumped hydropower project on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria after the regional administration of the island lifted the suspension order on the project, which was halted in mid-January following the discovery that the cavities and canals may have belonged to the archeological heritage of the Canary Islands. However, after analysis, it was determined that these cavities and canals are not significant.
Red Eléctrica de España will invest approximately EUR400 million (US$452 million) in the project. Spain's General Directorate for Energy of the Department of Ecological Transition, the Fight against Climate Change, and the government of the Canary Islands issued the initial administrative authorization for the project. The facility will use water from the upper reservoir of Chira and the lower reservoir of Soria, which will have a storage capacity of 3.5 GWh.
The pumped hydro project will generate significant amounts of renewable energy for the region, raising the average renewable generation coverage to 51% at specific times. Furthermore, it will help to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 20%.
