- Iberdrola’s Valdecañas upgrade adds 355 MW and about 210 GWh of pumped-storage capacity.
- It links Alcántara and Valdecañas reservoirs into a gigabattery to store surplus wind and solar for later dispatch.
- A 15 MW, 7.5 MWh hybrid battery is installed to support short‑duration storage and grid flexibility.
- Coordinated operation of Valdecañas, Torrejón, Alcántara, Cedillo and Tiétar pumping smooths flood peaks and secures year‑round water reserves.
Upgrade overview
Iberdrola España has commissioned technological upgrades at the Valdecañas pumped‑storage facility on the Tagus, increasing the system’s power capacity by 355 MW and adding 210 GWh of storage; the plant has already completed its first pumping operations.
Storage configuration
Valdecañas is linked with the Alcántara reservoir to operate as a combined gigabattery that stores surplus wind and solar generation for later dispatch; the configuration also includes a 15 MW/7.5 MWh hybrid battery that contributes to the Tagus system’s storage capacity.
Operational and water‑management benefits
Coordinated operation of Valdecañas, Torrejón, Alcántara and Cedillo, supplemented by pumping control on the Tiétar tributary, enables smoothing of flood peaks, reduced flood risk, preservation of ecosystems and creation of strategic year‑round water reserves.
