FEDA Revamps Historic Turbines and Secures Key Power Deals for Andorra

FEDA has completed a €2.5 million maintenance project on its three century-old hydroelectric turbines, which have supplied power to Andorra since the 1930s. The work, started in 2022 and finished this week, restores the units at the company's power plant to peak condition and ensures they can cover 20% of the country's energy production for the next 20 years.

Jordi Travé, FEDA's director of operations and new infrastructure, said the overhaul replaced components dating back to the mid-20th century while boosting efficiency. One turbine gained 1 MW of capacity—equivalent to the output of the Grau Roig solar plant—and the third, unveiled yesterday, now uses less water, making it more effective overall. These upgrades will help maintain competitive energy prices, Travé added.

In parallel, FEDA is advancing a joint project with France to build a new hydroelectric plant at L'Hospitalet. The initiative aims to increase winter production when demand can double or triple, though Travé stressed it remains in early stages with viability studies ongoing.

Separately, FEDA and Spain's Red Eléctrica de España (REE) signed a long-awaited agreement days ago to develop a second high-voltage power line connecting Andorra to its southern neighbour. The deal, inked by REE's planning director Ramón Granadino and FEDA's general director Albert Moles, imposes no cap on FEDA's investment, which will fully fund the connection works. However, any cost overruns must undergo external audits to justify increases.

Negotiations followed a prior government-level framework agreement, where Spain rejected a proposed €20 million limit on FEDA's contribution, leaving such clauses for the companies' pact. With the convention now in place, FEDA expects to launch public tenders this year for construction firms to build the line, related infrastructure, and a substation at the Runer river border.

FEDA described the line as essential to bolster electricity imports from Spain amid rising demand from decarbonisation efforts and electric vehicle adoption. The existing connection still has capacity, but officials urged proactive expansion to secure the grid's long-term reliability.