Andorra Unveils Gonarda Station Boosting Grid Resilience at Energy Week

The European Sustainable Energy Week opened on Tuesday with a guided media tour of Andorra's Gonarda Transformer and Distribution Station (ETR) in Aldosa, La Massana, which Forces Elèctriques d'Andorra (FEDA) presented as vital for enhancing the national grid's resilience amid rising demand and the energy transition.

Operational since 2023, the Gonarda facility—one of five nationwide, alongside those in Margineda, Encamp, Ransol, and Grau Roig—handles 20% to 30% of the grid's load, depending on seasonal needs. It eases pressure on the Encamp station near FEDA's headquarters, supporting growth in the northern valleys driven by population increases and electrification. FEDA's New Infrastructure Director Jordi Travé tied the event's theme of clean, secure, and competitive energy to Andorra's strategy, noting that 78% of energy consumed by the end of 2025 came from renewables. Investments since 2010 have modernized the high-voltage network, including the 2014 225 kV interconnection with France that nearly tripled import capacity.

Travé stressed Andorra's electricity prices remain 40% to 60% lower than in neighbouring countries, a gap expected to persist. Secretary of State for Energy Transition, Transport, and Mobility David Forné described the station as essential for reliable supply, with electricity comprising about 50% of total energy use while heating and transport account for 95% of greenhouse gas emissions. Imports remain crucial despite domestic renewable production.

The site features advanced environmental measures, including heavy investments in noise isolation for near-silent operation and visual screening with a pitched roof and wood-like cement cladding that blends into the landscape. Travé reported no current complaints from Aldosa residents, who had raised concerns during planning. The main transformer's synthetic refrigerant oil is biodegradable, requires no ongoing use, ignites only at 300°C—versus 180°C for mineral oil—and has a lower end-of-life impact. FEDA Engineering Director Marc Calvet, involved in the project, highlighted these safety and recyclability benefits, with isolated components to contain potential fires.

Travé provided updates on the forthcoming Runer River station near the Spanish border, which will complete the grid investment plan. Excavations are progressing there, while initial construction on the 225 kV line from Spain has started on the Spanish side, aiming to balance imports more evenly with those from France. Both projects prioritize minimal visual and acoustic impact.