Alcúdia power station

From Global Energy Monitor

Alcúdia power station is an operating power station of at least 336-megawatts (MW) in Alcúdia, Raiguer, Illes Balears (Islas Baleares), Mallorca, Spain with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Alcúdia power station Alcúdia, Raiguer, Illes Balears (Islas Baleares), Mallorca, Spain 39.810751, 3.091411 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Phase 2 Unit 1, Phase 2 Unit 2, Phase 2 Unit 3, Phase 2 Unit 4: 39.810751, 3.091411
  • Unit GT1, Unit GT2: 39.81075, 3.09141

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology CHP Start year Retired year
Phase 2 Unit 1 retired coal - lignite 125 subcritical 1981 2019
Phase 2 Unit 2 retired coal - lignite 125 subcritical 1982 2019
Phase 2 Unit 3 operating coal - lignite 130 subcritical 1997 2025 (planned)
Phase 2 Unit 4 operating coal - lignite 130 subcritical 1997 2025 (planned)
Unit GT1 operating[1] diesel, gas, heavy fuel oil[1][2] 38[1] gas turbine[1] no 1989[1]
Unit GT2 operating[1] diesel, gas, heavy fuel oil[1][2] 38[1] gas turbine[1] no 1989[1]

CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner Parent
Phase 2 Unit 1 GESA-Endesa [100.0%]
Phase 2 Unit 2 GESA-Endesa [100.0%]
Phase 2 Unit 3 GESA-Endesa [100.0%]
Phase 2 Unit 4 GESA-Endesa [100.0%]
Unit GT1 Endesa SA[3] Endesa SA [100.0%]
Unit GT2 Endesa SA[3] Endesa SA [100.0%]

Background

The Alcudia power plant began operating in 1981 and supplied the Balearic Islands with electricity for several decades. In 2014, all four units of the Alcudia plant were estimated to be between 52% to 104% over the local nitrous oxide limits.[4] In 2017, the parent company of the plant, Enel, invested €350 million in three of GESA-Endesa's coal-fired plants (including Alcudia) to retrofit them for environmental compliance. Prior to the retirement of its first two units, it was the most polluting entity in the Balearic Islands, emitting 27% of the area's carbon dioxide emissions.[5]

In 2018, the local government announced a climate plan which aimed of converting the Balearic Islands to 100% renewable energy by 2050.[6] Discussion of shutting the plant down to meet this plan quickly followed. In late 2018, a group of Alcudia workers hosted a protest against retiring the plant, arguing for the protection of the jobs of over 400 workers at the facility.[7]

In 2019, the government announced it would retire Alcudia's two older, 125 MW units by the beginning of 2020.[8] The two remaining units would operate at a reduced load of 1,500 hours (maximum) annually until August 2021, after which this would go down to 500 hours annually. The government announced the closure of these two units would follow once a second electricity cable connection from the mainland was completed, which is scheduled for before 2025. Thus, the Alcudia plant will likely be shut down by 2025; if not, 2027 seems to be the final shutdown date.[5]

GESA-Endesa announced it would be demolishing the retired two units in 2020, costing them 7.5 million Euros and taking three years to complete.[9]

In May 2021, Enel completed construction of the 15 MW Nou Biniatria solar photovoltaic plant in Mallorca, an addition to the Alcudia Power Station. The Nou Biniatria project cost around 14 million Euros. In line with the region's commitment to renewable energy, Enel will be developing another 73 MW of solar capacity at the plant as well.[10]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 https://web.archive.org/web/20230130045446/https://luxes.es/project/central-termica-de-es-murterar/. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20160629213413/http://almadeherrero.blogspot.com/2013/02/central-termica-de-es-murterar.html. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. 3.0 3.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20200702034441/https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/baleares/20191230/472609170402/la-central-termica-de-es-murterar-cierra-sus-dos-unidades-mas-contaminantes.html. Archived from the original on 02 July 2020. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |archive-date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. "Enel announces coal plants closures". World Coal. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Partial closure of Alcudia power station formally authorised". Majorca Daily Bulletin. 2019-03-29. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  6. Vaughan, Adam (2018-05-04). "Balearic Islands bank on their sun to kickstart power drive". the Guardian. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  7. "Es Murterar power station workers to protest against closure". Majorca Daily Bulletin. 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  8. "Endesa must request closure of Es Murterar following the Balearic Govern's announcement". IIDMA. 2018-10-25. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  9. "Partial demolition of Es Murterar to start this year". Majorca Daily Bulletin. 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  10. "Enel Green Power commissions the 15 MW Nou Biniatria solar photovoltaic plant in Mallorca". Enel Green Power. 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-07-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Additional data

To access additional data, including interactive maps of the power stations, downloadable datases, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker and the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.