Andorra Appoints Sílvia Calvó as FEDA Electricity Chief, Replacing Longtime Leader Albert Moles

The Andorran government has appointed Sílvia Calvó as the new director general of state-owned electricity company FEDA, replacing Albert Moles, who will depart on 31 March 2026 after 19 years leading the firm and nearly 38 years since joining at its 1988 inception.

Government spokesperson Guillem Casal announced the decision after Wednesday's Council of Ministers meeting, describing it as a long-planned handover to ensure an orderly transition without raising salary costs. Calvó, currently chief of staff to Head of Government Xavier Espot, will move to FEDA in late January or early February after her successor is appointed. She and Moles will share duties—and split the director's salary—for roughly two months, with Calvó assuming full responsibility in early April.

Moles, an energy engineering graduate from France's INSA Lyon, turned 65 in 2025 but agreed to extend his term by up to a year at government request to advance key initiatives, including the El Maià wind farm and a new electricity interconnection with Spain, backed by international agreements for 2026 startup. He began at FEDA as engineering director and took the top role in 2006 under then-Head of Government Albert Pintat, succeeding Ramon Cereza, who had shifted to public health services in 1986.

Born in Andorra la Vella on 15 October 1969, Calvó earned an environmental engineering degree from Chambéry and a master's in public-private administration from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis. She led the environment department in 2002-2005 and 2007-2009, served as a Demòcrates per Andorra councillor from 2011-2015—chairing the economy commission and co-leading health-environment work—and was environment, agriculture and sustainability minister from 2015-2023. There, she presided over FEDA's board for eight years, drove the energy transition and climate change law amid pushback from fuel importers on green taxes, and established subsidiaries Ecoterm and Solucions while pushing infrastructure upgrades.

Casal praised Calvó's public service record, energy expertise and familiarity with FEDA as suited to advancing the energy model shift and ongoing projects. Under Moles, the company modernized its grid, expanded renewables and prepared for rising demand and electrification.

The government also approved a 2.8% FEDA tariff increase for 2026, linked to November's consumer price index and adding €1-2 monthly for most households. Rates will remain around 40% below neighboring countries' levels. Some 500 subsidized households stay exempt, increasing differentials to 20% in lower brackets and 58% in higher ones. Communes will now cover 75% of public lighting costs, up from full FEDA funding before the energy crisis.

Opposition groups have criticized the direct appointment for lacking transparency and open competition. Concòrdia called for its reversal as a "revolving door" case prioritizing political loyalty, noting Espot's role as FEDA board chair alongside Calvó, Casal and Secretary of State David Forné. They decried it as clientelist, conflicting with their platform barring recent politicians from such roles, and linked it to patterns in justice, Andorra Telecom and public institutes, labeling it "gravely undemocratic."

Social Democrats leader Pere Baró echoed concerns over missing merit-based selection, saying it undermines Calvó's value, staff morale, transparency and democracy while accusing the government of favoritism that "hurts the eyes." Andorra Endavant MP Carine Montaner called it predictable "DA-stamped" end-of-term practice, legal for trust positions but demotivating to veteran FEDA employees and eroding meritocracy.

Ruling parties Demòcrates per Andorra and Ciutadans Compromesos defended the move, stressing Calvó's qualifications, board experience and compliance with FEDA's governing law. They rejected opposition attacks given her proven expertise, with no further government reply to critics reported.