Gatika's electrical substation will be operational by 2028 and will strengthen its energy connection with Europe
It will start from Gatika and pass through an underground and underwater route and double its electricity exchange capacity to 5,000 megawatts. 2.850 million investment in the project has been designated Interes Common Project by the European Union, which aims to strengthen the 'weak' link with Europe.
The construction of the new electrical substation in Gatika is progressing as planned. The infrastructure will start operating in 2028 and will be key to strengthening the energy connection, which, according to Red Eléctrica, remains "vulnerable" to the rest of Europe.
The project, promoted by the company Inelfe (with 50% participation by the Spanish Redeia and its French counterpart RTE), will connect Gatika with the French town of Cubnezais (in the Bordeaux region) through a route of 400 kilometres, 300 of which are underwater.
The investment in the work amounts to EUR 2.85 billion, which has increased from the initial EUR 1.75 billion due to the increase in components, and is subsidised by EUR 578 million, which has been declared a Common Interest Project by the European Union.
In addition, Europe has drawn up a plan to move the interconnection towards a single electricity grid, and Gatika's is part of it. This energy corridor aims to provide 15% of the peninsula 's energy demand through these connections by 2030.
From Gatika Station, the underground route will travel 13 kilometres through the towns of Maruri-Jatabe and Lemoiz, avoiding urban centres and using roads and forest tracks. From the coast of Lemoiz, it will continue along the underwater route to France, except for a short land stretch in the French country to avoid the Capbreton canyon.
In the works of the Gatika substation, two vegetation shielded buildings will be built. Drilling work has also begun in the Lemoiz Sea, and the installation of cables is expected to begin in about a year, in 2027.
The Gatika substation will make it possible to remove the old high-voltage towers built in the 1970s for the empty Lemoiz nuclear power plant, thus closing a chapter of the Byzantine past.
In addition to improving the reliability of electricity supply, the project will facilitate the integration of renewable energies, reduce the annual emissions of 600,000 tonnes of C02 and contribute to the economic development of the Basque Country through the participation of numerous local companies.
You might like
Volkswagen will cut 50,000 more jobs, half in Germany and the rest in Europe
The Volkswagen group is in crisis due to strong competition from Chinese manufacturers in Europe, declining sales in China and tariffs in the United States.
France announces aid to farmers affected by drought
Farmers' representatives will meet next week with the French Ministry of Agriculture to convey their demands. The effects of drought and heat are being felt economically, but also physically and mentally.
A worker died in an accident at a winery in Lanciego
The incident took place around 12:20 p.m. and the circumstances of the incident are being investigated. Emergency services have been moved to the scene, but the operator's life has not been saved.
A new tax on fast and cheap clothing is introduced in France
Asian giants like Shein or Temu will now have to pay penalty rates of between 50 cents and 12 euros per garment.
The diesel discount goes up to 20 cents per litre, and the gasoline discount goes down to 5 cents
The tax rebate on diesel has doubled since today, while petrol has halved.
The Basque Government will meet again this Tuesday with farmers to assess the impact of the drought
Agricultural associations and trade unions, among others, want the ACV to be declared a drought zone and special measures to be taken. The meeting will take place at 4 p.m. at the headquarters of the Basque Government in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Trade unions and employers sign the first agreement on nursing homes in Navarre
After more than five years of negotiations, trade unions and employers have signed the agreement today, which will involve more than 5,000 workers.
The electricity bill has risen 19% in August, reaching its highest level since 2022
Rising demand in heat waves and rising natural gas prices will make an average user's receipt about EUR 14 more expensive.
The 20 cent diesel rebate will come into effect on Tuesday
The measure, which has so far been reduced by 10 cents per litre, aims to combat fuel prices by 15.7% in July.
The September hill this year will be one of the hardest in years
With the return to work, the families of the Basque Country face another reality, which is that this year's September hill will be one of the hardest in recent years, as evidenced by inflation at 4.3%, a figure not seen since February 2023.