Spain\u2019s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), through the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), has finalized awards under the second Repotenciaci\u00f3n Circular (Repoten 2) program, allocating \u20ac612 million to 173 wind and hydropower repowering projects.<\/p>\n
The program, funded through the European Union\u2019s NextGenerationEU recovery plan, supports the modernization of existing wind farms and hydropower plants of up to 50 MW to increase renewable generation, improve grid stability and integrate energy storage.<\/p>\n
The final allocation more than doubles the program\u2019s original budget, adding \u20ac320 million to meet strong demand. Wind projects account for \u20ac551.3 million of the funding, while \u20ac60.7 million has been awarded to hydropower upgrades. Together, the projects are expected to mobilize about \u20ac3.75 billion in investment.<\/p>\n
The program includes 81 wind repowering projects replacing older turbines with higher-capacity machines and 92 hydropower modernization projects. Together they are expected to add about 2.433 GW of wind capacity and 1.091 GW of hydropower capacity through the refurbishment of existing facilities.<\/p>\n
More than half of the selected projects include co-located energy storage, adding more than 2 GWh of storage capacity to Spain\u2019s electricity system. The program also requires the upgraded facilities to incorporate grid-forming capabilities to support system stability.<\/p>\n
For hydropower projects, the funding also covers upgrades to electromechanical equipment, plant automation and environmental measures, including fish passages, ecological flow systems, sediment management and habitat restoration.<\/p>\n
Galicia received the largest number of awards with 40 projects, followed by Castilla y Le\u00f3n with 32, Castilla-La Mancha with 19, Andalusia with 17 and Aragon with 15. All projects must be completed by June 30, 2030, with the possibility of an extension to Dec. 31, 2030.<\/p>\n