Red Eléctrica has started work on the submarine installation of the first of two circuits that will connect Ceuta’s electricity system to that of the peninsula. This marks a major milestone in the development of this strategic infrastructure for Spain. It will serve as an ‘umbilical cord’ to provide the people of Ceuta with electricity supply standards comparable to those on the peninsula in terms of quality and stability, while significantly reducing their dependence on fossil fuels.

The cable-laying operations began off the coast of the peninsula, opposite La Línea de la Concepción, and will continue over the coming weeks with the deployment of a 58-kilometre submarine cable along the seabed. The cable is expected to reach the Ceutan coast during the first weeks of September.

This is a highly complex technical operation, not only because of the need to lay and protect the cable at depths of up to 900 metres, but also due to the measures required to safeguard the seabed and its biodiversity. To carry out these tasks, Red Eléctrica will use state-of-the-art equipment, including tools for cable burial and machinery for trenching after the installation. 

For this operation, the company is deploying one of the few vessels worldwide equipped with the necessary technology: The Giulio Verne, a cable-laying ship operated by Prysmian, the global leader in submarine cables. The vessel, designed to handle complex submarine operations anywhere in the world, has a reel capacity of 7,000 tonnes and can install cables at depths of up to 1,600 metres.

The entire route has been designed sustainably, enabling the installation to coexist with other aquaculture or fishing infrastructures in the area. Additionally, the land-to-sea cable transition has been carried out using horizontal directional drilling, a technique in which a small tunnel guides the cable from the coast several hundred metres offshore (1,000 m in the case of the peninsula). This method avoids any impact on beaches or swimming areas and protects the natural environment.

Regarding the onshore power lines, which are currently under construction, they run fully underground from the coast to the new Algeciras 132 kV transformer station, using GIS technology, adjacent to the existing Algeciras 220 kV substation. This eliminates any visual impact, following a peri-urban route that takes advantage of existing infrastructures and roads.

Ceuta joins the peninsular electricity system

With this new link, which is included in the current electricity Planning, Ceuta will connect to the peninsular electricity system, gaining access to a stable and sustainable electricity supply on par with the rest of the peninsula. It will also benefit from a record share of renewable energy generation, reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and, consequently, lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This will improve air quality both in the autonomous city of Ceuta and across the Strait of Gibraltar, in line with the objectives of the Spanish National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).

The electricity interconnection will also enable a more efficient energy model in Ceuta, replacing high-cost energy from the existing thermal power plant with energy supplied from the peninsula. This will result in savings for the electricity system. Moreover, the work carried out at the Algeciras substation will meet future energy demands in the Campo de Gibraltar and Bay of Algeciras. This is key for the region's economic development. In short, the electricity interconnection with Ceuta marks a turning point for the city’s energy system, opening new opportunities while representing a key step in Spain’s Energy Transition process.