Iberdrola Starts Ciudad Rodrigo PV Plant Commissioning

Iberdrola España has kicked off the commissioning of its Ciudad Rodrigo photovoltaic plant. It is the company’s second facility in the province of Salamanca and one of the largest in Castilla y Leon.

Iberdrola España said in a media release that once fully operational, the 316-megawatt (MW) facility will provide clean energy to more than 155,000 households, avoiding 75,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

The solar farm, created through a partnership with Norges Bank, covers 439 hectares in the Valdecarros region and the Sierra de Torralba. It features over 460,000 solar panels, with a total investment of EUR 200 million ($234.4 million).

Iberdrola España said that during the construction, it leaned heavily on local suppliers including Tecinsa, which built the transformer substation; Perez Coco, which supplied cranes; and Solar B-Max, responsible for mechanical assembly. Montero, Sierra de Francia, and Sanchez Cepa provided concrete and aggregates, while La Ilustracion and La Serrana supplied gravel and sand. Maderas Caeval handled vegetation clearing, and Cubas Goyo offered irrigation services.

Iberdrola España said that it plans to restore Habitats of Community Interest (HCI), create a new pond to support local amphibians, maintain existing ponds, and install a green screen around the solar plant during this project.

For wildlife conservation, the company will set up insect hotels, nest boxes for lesser kestrels, and shelters for wild rabbits.

Culturally, Iberdrola España said it is working with the City Council of Ciudad Rodrigo to upgrade the main access to the Cathedral and has sponsored the "Astrobriga Solar System", a model of the solar system at a scale of 1:290,000,000, aimed at boosting tourism and supporting educational outreach.

Castilla y Leon boasts the highest installed renewable energy capacity for Iberdrola España, totaling 6,297 MW. The company runs six photovoltaic plants in the provinces of Palencia, Burgos, and Salamanca, which together have a capacity of 890 MW, sufficient to provide thousands of homes with entirely clean energy, according to the company.

Besides hydroelectric and wind power facilities, Iberdrola España said it is also responsible for Spain’s first wind-solar hybrid plant, Ballestas and Casetona.

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