SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 10th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister in charge of Ecological Transition and Energy in the Canary Islands Government, Mariano Hernández Zapata, has expressed his appreciation on Friday for the “commitment” and “agreement” with the central Government to execute the ministerial directive which mandates the additional power installation of 152 MW in the islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and Fuerteventura.
Speaking to reporters before addressing a parliamentary committee, he highlighted the “determined and transparent progress” being made to ensure the electricity supply in the islands and prevent energy shortages from recurring.
He emphasized that the Government declared an energy state of emergency at the start of the legislative term due to the “critical” situation, experiencing an energy shortage on average every ten years, hence the necessity for an urgent tender.
Currently, the ministry has greenlit about twelve proposals, he mentioned, and also secured the funding for the projects, leaving the task of obtaining the necessary permits for the new facilities to become operational as quickly as possible pending.
“We stated that we are here to make decisions, to effect change, and to enhance the electrical system in the Canary Islands, and we are embarking on those initial initiatives with the hope that this marks the beginning of many more to come,” he elaborated.
Zapata also mentioned that the ministry has approved the submission of projects utilizing propane, a fuel that was not initially considered, and also natural gas for smaller setups, fuels that have a “reduced impact” on climate change by up to 30% less compared to the current reliance on diesel combustion in the Canary Islands, and they are also more cost-effective.
The minister also highlighted that collaborations are ongoing “shoulder to shoulder” with the ministry in executing the tender for upgrading the power generation facilities.
