Media release
The CDR Navaleo pumped storage hydropower project is being developed in Ponferrada, Castilla y León, Spain. With an installed capacity of 535 MW and more than eight hours of storage, the future facility will provide flexible capacity to the Spanish electricity system and support the integration of wind and solar generation.
A strategic energy storage project
Pumped storage hydropower helps balance electricity supply and demand. When renewable electricity generation exceeds demand, the facility will use electricity to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir. When demand rises or renewable production falls, the water will be released through turbines to generate electricity.
This ability to store energy and make it available when needed will help improve grid flexibility and security of supply as the share of renewable energy in Spain’s electricity system continues to grow.
Navaleo is Alpiq’s first major hydropower project outside Switzerland. It represents an important milestone in the company’s European growth strategy and builds on Alpiq’s extensive experience in developing, operating and optimising flexible hydropower assets. Commercial operation is currently planned for the early 2030s.
Combining energy storage and site rehabilitation
The project is being developed on the site of a former mining complex. The facility has been designed as a closed-loop system, with two reservoirs that are not directly connected to natural river systems. This design enables controlled water management and limits the project’s interaction with natural waterways.
In addition to providing long-duration energy storage, the future facility is designed to support the treatment and reuse of water affected by former mining activities. The project will therefore combine modern energy infrastructure with the rehabilitation of an industrial legacy site.
Overview of the Navaleo site
Future location of the upper reservoir for the Navaleo project
Future location of the lower reservoirs of the Navaleo project
Supporting the energy transition
The Navaleo project is expected to:
- provide flexible capacity to balance variable solar and wind generation;
- store renewable electricity and make it available during periods of higher demand;
- contribute to grid stability and security of supply;
- support the rehabilitation of land affected by former mining activities;
- improve water quality through the treatment and reuse of mine drainage;
- create local employment during construction and operation.
A European Project of Common Interest
The European Commission has included CDR Navaleo on the European Union list of Projects of Common Interest, recognising its strategic relevance for Europe’s energy transition and energy resilience.
The project has also been awarded EUR 35.3 million under Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The funding was granted through the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving, an agency of Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
Facts & Figures
Plant type
Pumped storage power plant
Location
Castilla y León, Spain
Number of turbines
To be determined
Capacity
535 MW
Shareholding
99%
Commissioning
Early 2030s
Guided tours
Not available
Status
In development