Red Eléctrica, the Redeia subsidiary responsible for the transmission and operation of the electricity system in Spain, has completed the construction of the 400 kV Don Álvaro substation in the province of Badajoz. This will supply power to the Puertollano–Mérida high-speed rail corridor and enable the electrification of other railway lines.

This facility also acts as a catalyst for the region's economic and industrial development. It represents a strategic reinforcement of the transmission grid by integrating into the main arteries as a node of the Andalucía – Extremadura – Castilla-La Mancha - Madrid electrical corridor. This boost to the development of new projects advances regional cohesion and consolidates Extremadura as a key player in the Spanish electricity system. Additionally, the new substation will be key to further driving the ecological transition through the integration of renewable energy, thereby reinforcing Extremadura's leadership as a renewable energy powerhouse.

This project, which is included in the current electricity planning cycle, involves an investment of approximately €15 million, including the associated incoming and outgoing line that integrates the substation into the transmission grid via the 400 kV Almaraz–Bienvenida route. Both projects are included in the list of initiatives eligible for funding by the European Union – NextGenerationEU – under the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

In Extremadura, the new substation joins those of La Serena, Maguilla, Fuente del Maestre and Fuente de Cantos. All of these are 400 kV facilities that were commissioned last year, consolidating the reinforcement of the transmission grid in the region. Furthermore, construction work on the incoming and outgoing line connecting the Zarzón substation to the grid is scheduled to conclude in the autumn, enabling its commissioning. In parallel, Red Eléctrica continues to advance the development of the new Guadiana and Río Caya infrastructure projects, also at 400 kV. These facilities are designed to meet the demand of large industrial consumers in the Río Caya area, which are considered strategic for driving and consolidating the South-West Iberian Logistics Platform in Badajoz.

The investment envisaged in the current electricity planning cycle places the region in an optimal – and highly sought-after – position to boost its industry and ecological transition, while also promoting regional cohesion and equal opportunities with the rest of Spain's autonomous communities.