Iberdrola begins commissioning Tâmega wind‑hydro complex
- Total investment €346M (TOTEX): €237M for Tâmega Norte and €109M for Tâmega Sul; financed by the EIB with Norges Bank set to take a 49% stake once operational.
- Capacity and suppliers: Tâmega Norte 195 MW (27×7.2 MW turbines, 172 m rotor) supplied by Vestas with components from HaizeaTecnoaranda; estimated generation ~414 GWh/yr and Tâmega Sul ~185 GWh/yr; BladeLifter used for oversized blade transport.
- Configuration: the two wind farms are integrated with a pumped‑storage hydro system, sharing grid connection via REN's Ribeira de Pena hub (Daivões north, Gouvães south).
- Environmental: the complex will avoid over 230,000 t CO2/year and construction proceeded under environmental licence with mitigation and monitoring for sensitive breeding seasons.
Project overview
Iberdrola has begun commissioning Tâmega Norte, the first grid‑connected wind–hydro hybrid on the Iberian Peninsula; the Tâmega Complex comprises two wind farms (Norte and Sul) coupled to a pumped‑storage hydroelectric system to share grid infrastructure and store energy for system needs.
Technical and operational details
Tâmega Norte delivers 195 MW from 27 Vestas turbines (7.2 MW each, 172 m rotor) with estimated annual generation of ~414 GWh (Tâmega Sul ~185 GWh); BladeLifter technology allowed blades to be tilted 25–30° for transport on narrow, steep roads, reducing road widening and civil works, with three‑person transport teams coordinating movements.
Grid connection and financing
Power will be transmitted via the complex’s existing infrastructure and connected through REN’s Ribeira de Pena hub (Daivões north, Gouvães south); total TOTEX for both wind farms is €346M (€237M Norte, €109M Sul), financed by the European Investment Bank and involving Norges Bank, which will hold a 49% stake once operational.
Environmental and construction constraints
The wind farms are expected to avoid more than 230,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year; construction was constrained by breeding‑season protections that affected spring/summer schedules, involved ~150 workers at peak, and has proceeded under the environmental licence with mitigation and monitoring measures.
Source: Iberdrola