Iberdrola Completes €100M Valencia Grid Upgrade After Flooding
Iberdrola has completed an extraordinary programme to restore, modernise and strengthen the electrical network in Spain’s Valencia region following the extensive damage caused by torrential rains and flooding in 2024. The company has invested €100 million in the initiative, known as the “Plan il·lumina”, with more than 1,000 professionals involved in restoring and upgrading critical electricity infrastructure.
The programme was presented by Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán alongside Juanfran Pérez Llorca, President of the Valencian Regional Government. The event brought together representatives from public institutions, suppliers, customers and Iberdrola’s workforce at the company’s facilities in Torrent, which played an important role during the emergency response and the subsequent implementation of the recovery programme.
The extraordinary investment was aimed not only at repairing infrastructure damaged during the flooding, but also at improving the resilience and technological capabilities of the region’s electricity network. Iberdrola said the work incorporates digital technologies and artificial intelligence innovations designed to strengthen network performance and support the increasing electrification of the economy.
The programme included the refurbishment of approximately 20 substations, the restoration of more than 108,000 smart meters, the renovation of 940 transformer stations and the reconstruction of nearly 460 electricity pylons. Together, these projects represent a significant transformation of electricity infrastructure serving communities and businesses across areas affected by the 2024 disaster.
In addition to the €100 million extraordinary investment, Iberdrola plans to allocate nearly €2 billion to electricity networks in the Valencia region through 2031. The longer-term investment programme reflects the company’s focus on expanding and modernising infrastructure as electricity demand increases due to industrial development, digitalisation, electric mobility and broader electrification.
Ignacio Galán highlighted the importance of building resilient electricity networks capable of supporting the region’s future economic and energy requirements. During the presentation, he said the company could now state that the foundations had been established for Valencia to have advanced electrical infrastructure.
Galán also thanked Iberdrola employees and partner companies involved in responding to the DANA weather event and carrying out the Plan il·lumina. He expressed his support for people and communities affected by the flooding, which was among the most serious natural disasters to affect Spain in recent decades.
According to Iberdrola, the programme represents a continuation of its commitment to the Valencia region and its efforts to help the area benefit from electrification. The company links modern electricity infrastructure with energy security and autonomy, economic competitiveness and sustainability.
The need for stronger networks has become increasingly important as electricity systems adapt to changing patterns of energy consumption. Industrial transformation is generating new electricity demand, while data-driven technologies, digital infrastructure and electric vehicles are increasing the need for reliable and flexible distribution networks.
Smart meters and digital monitoring technologies can provide utilities with greater visibility into electricity consumption and network conditions. Meanwhile, upgraded substations, transformer stations and transmission infrastructure can improve the ability of electricity systems to withstand disruptions and support future demand.
Social recovery initiatives
Iberdrola’s response to the 2024 flooding has extended beyond electricity infrastructure. The company has also supported social recovery projects in municipalities affected by the disaster, working with local and regional authorities on initiatives involving schools, public spaces and community facilities.
One of the projects involved the refurbishment of the Catarroja School for Agricultural Foremen, carried out in collaboration with the Valencia Provincial Council. Iberdrola also supported the reconstruction of children’s playgrounds and improvements to facilities at the Rosa Serrano School.
In Paiporta, the company worked with the local town council on the electrical refurbishment of the Municipal Market. In Loriguilla, Iberdrola collaborated with the town council on improvements to the Plaza de la Concordia.
The company has also worked with Valencia City Council and the Valencian Regional Government on the installation of charging infrastructure for boats operating in the Albufera. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to incorporate electrification into local infrastructure and mobility.
Social support measures have additionally included assistance for families affected by the flooding and psychosocial care. Iberdrola said these initiatives were undertaken in collaboration with organisations including Nuevo Hogar Betania and the Red Cross.
The combination of infrastructure restoration and community-focused measures forms part of Iberdrola’s broader response to the consequences of the disaster. While the €100 million programme focused primarily on the electricity network, the associated social initiatives were intended to contribute to the recovery of affected municipalities.
From hydroelectric power to smart grids
The completion of Plan il·lumina also coincides with Iberdrola’s 125th anniversary celebrations under its “125 Light-Years” programme. The company has highlighted its longstanding relationship with the Valencia region and its involvement in several stages of the area’s electricity development.
One historical milestone was the Salto del Molinar hydroelectric project on the River Júcar, which Iberdrola identifies as part of its pioneering activity in the region. Over subsequent decades, the company participated in developments that contributed to the evolution of Valencia’s electricity infrastructure.
The region later became associated with the introduction of smart-grid technology, including the rollout of some of Spain’s first smart grids in Castellón. Iberdrola also points to major generation and storage facilities in the region, including the Cofrentes power station and the pumped-storage facilities at Cortes-La Muela.
These developments illustrate the changing requirements of electricity infrastructure, from early hydroelectric generation to increasingly digitalised distribution networks capable of supporting more complex electricity systems.
The completion of Plan il·lumina therefore marks both the conclusion of an emergency infrastructure recovery programme and another stage in the longer-term development of Valencia’s electricity network. With almost €2 billion in additional network investment planned through 2031, Iberdrola is positioning the region’s grid for increasing electricity demand and continued electrification.
The company said the upgraded infrastructure is intended to provide greater resilience while incorporating modern digital technologies. For Valencia, the investment follows a major natural disaster and forms part of a wider transition toward an electricity system capable of supporting industrial activity, digitalisation, electric mobility and other emerging sources of demand.
source Link: https://www.iberdrola.com/
