Iberdrola has received a production license from the Portuguese Directorate-General for Energy and Geology of Portugal (DGEG) for a 274MW wind project in Portugal.
Located in the districts of Vila Real and Braga, in northern Portugal, the €350m project will be integrated into the existing Tamega hydropower plant, taking advantage of the existing connection point in Ribeira de Pena.
The wind project has been awarded to Vestas and will include the installation of 38 Enventus V172, with a unit capacity of 7.2MW each and a height of 114 metres.
The project will sign a long-term power purchase agreement.
The project, formed by the Tamega Norte and Tamega Sul wind farms, is part of the agreement signed with the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, managed by Norges Bank Investment Management.
The incorporation of wind energy into the SET will increase the contribution of clean, competitive and low-cost energy to the Portuguese electricity system.
Alejandra Reyna, Managing Director of Iberdrola Renewables Portugal, said: “We have taken an important step towards starting the construction of the largest wind farm, and the first hybridisation project to combine wind and hydro energy, in Portugal.
“This project is further evidence of Iberdrola’s commitment to promoting the energy transition in Portugal, where it has already invested more than 2 billion euros in renewable energies over the last 20 years.
“The commitment to electrification, through renewable energies and the focus on innovation show our commitment to building a sustainable, reliable and affordable future.”
The alternation between both technologies will significantly reduce the dependence on intermittent environmental conditions and the limitation that comes from the lack of resources such as wind.
Companies such as CJR and Conduril-Socorpena will also be involved in the development of the basic infrastructure, while Painhas and Proef will contribute to the construction of the substation and power lines.
Iberdrola will implement continuous monitoring of ecological systems during construction, including birdlife, flora, habitats and archaeology, with a view to mitigating possible impacts, identifying new minimising solutions and deepening knowledge of local biodiversity.
The Tamega Power Plant consists of the Alto Tamega Hydroelectric Power Plant (160MW), the Gouvaes Pumped Storage Plant (880MW) and the Daivoes Power Plant (118MW), the latter two in operation since 2022.