The Port of Barcelona tenders the substation that will allow the electrification of the docks

The Port of Barcelona has put out to tender the substation that will allow the electrification of the docks, a project with an investment of more than 110 million euros. The future facility, which will be located in the port itself, will be responsible for connecting to the high-voltage grid and distributing energy throughout the infrastructure, allowing ships to turn off their engines and stop burning fuel when docking.

The budget for the work is 14 million euros. With the aim that only one company is responsible for everything, the drafting of the project, the direction and execution of the works, and the maintenance and operation of the substation for a period of two years once construction is completed, have been included in a single tender document. The installation is expected to be finished in 2025.

This tender was approved by the Port of Barcelona's board of directors in February. The authorization from the Council of Ministers, received last July, was pending.

The progress on the new local substation comes after Red Eléctrica authorized the connection of the Port of Barcelona to the future Ronda Litoral substation, currently under construction. This facility will be located very close to Moll Príncep d'Espanya. With a capacity of 220 kV, the port will be one of the main consumers, with a demand of 80 MW. The connection to this infrastructure through an underground high-voltage line will entail an additional investment of 1.6 million euros.

The construction of the substation will be carried out in parallel with other packages already approved and underway, such as the works to install the first connection point to power ships, located at the Hutchison Ports Best terminal, in Moll Prat, in the southern area of the port, where most emissions are generated. The second pilot will be carried out at the ferry terminal, the closest to the urban fabric. This point is expected to be operational by next year. The connection between the Energia and Adossat docks has also recently been put out to tender .