The submarine cable that will prevent La Gomera from running out of light again
Zero energy or general blackout. All of La Gomera, 21,800 inhabitants, lost power around three in the morning last Sunday. The event has revealed the energy vulnerability of the Canary Islands. All the islands of the archipelago have isolated electrical systems, except for Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, which are interconnected, but the project for the construction of an underwater cable between La Gomera and Tenerife will make it possible to avoid episodes like the one experienced.
The cable will measure 36 kilometers and will reach a maximum depth of 1,145 meters. The project budget amounts to 114 million euros and is expected to be ready in 2025. According to Red Eléctrica de España (REE), which is executing the project, the cable is highly technically complex because it will be the deepest three-pole alternating submarine link in the world. This new link will be capable of generating and integrating a renewable contingent greater than the total demand of La Gomera, making it possible to reduce dependence on the El Palmar thermal power plant. In addition, the interconnection of the system will allow Tenerife to integrate the surplus of renewable generation from La Gomera, reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.. From 2018 to 2022, renewable energies have gone from 10.52% to 20.13%.
The cable will consist of a 66 kV double-circuit line and, in addition to the 36-kilometre underwater section, it will have two underground terrestrial sections on the two islands, which will link the future electrical substation of Chío (Tenerife) with the new electrical substation from El Palmar (La Gomera). It will be done with a directed drilling technique, which introduces the cable into the sea through a microtunnel with an exit hundreds of meters from the coast, nullifying any effect on the biological communities of the drilling section..
The project will guarantee the security of the system and, for energy purposes, Tenerife and La Gomera will be a single island. Beyond the cable, the start-up of five wind farms is expected to generate more energy than that currently consumed by La Gomera, so the surplus can be transferred. The parks will be operated by Ecoener. “We are very proud of this construction milestone, the result of the efforts of so many people and of contributing to the La Gomera 100% Sustainable program,” defends the president of the energy company, Luis de Valdivia..
Responsible consumption
And, although this Wednesday all the residents of La Gomera had already recovered the supply, the Cabildo warned about the fragility of the system and asked that those expendable appliances, such as the oven, television or air conditioning, not be used. Endesa is now working on “strengthening” the supply, hence the arrival by sea of 12 generator sets that have been added to those already in operation and to the portable power station that, made up of six emergency groups, has already begun to be set up in El Palmar, reports EFE.
💡 #zeroenergy | The Cabildo reports on the care channels for those affected by Endesa pic.twitter.com/LsGxLyac6a
– Cabildo de La Gomera (@CabildoLaGomera) August 2, 2023
Work is also continuing “with a large human team” to try to remedy the damage suffered at the plant, a facility that had a capacity of 20 MW before Sunday's incident.. The figure “by far” exceeds the peak demand on the island, set at 9 MW, according to the Cabildo. However, despite the resumption of the electricity supply in its entirety, the institution has asked the population to make “responsible consumption” and use only “essential” electrical and electronic elements, therefore, it continues, even though the supply has been recovered , the system is unstable. The Civil Guard, for its part, continues to work to clarify the causes of the fire at the thermal power plant.