The Port Authority of València (APV) has tendered the works to build a new electrical substation in the Port of València, an infrastructure that will allow Valenciaport to double the energy supply capacity of the port area. This step follows the authorization by the Council of Ministers.
The project will have an estimated duration of 20 months, and will involve an estimated investment of 18.7 million euros. It will strengthen the electricity supply to meet the anticipated increase in energy demand in the coming years, resulting from both the activity of terminals, companies, and concessionaires, and the port's electrification process. The investment is supported by the European Commission through the "Connecting Europe Facility" (CEF).
The ST2 will have a shared available power with ST1, ranging from a maximum of 90 megawatts (MW) to a minimum of 40 megawatts (MW), depending on whether it is supplied from one of the two ST-Aqua lines or one of the two ST-Punta lines, respectively. Its commissioning will meet the growing energy demand of cargo terminals, logistics infrastructures, and new shore power connection systems for vessels (OPS).
Thus, it will allow the interconnection of the APV's supply network in the northern part of the port with the high-voltage distribution network. The existence of two independently operated substations connected by differentiated feeders will allow for a highly available supply scheme and strengthen the energy resilience of the port area.
In this way, in the event of network incidents, maintenance work, or extraordinary demand episodes, the port's internal network can be supplied from the second substation without interrupting terminal activity. This capacity is especially relevant to guarantee the continuity of critical operations, such as the functioning of cranes or the electricity supply to refrigerated containers (reefer).
The new facility has been designed with sustainability and landscape integration criteria and will incorporate GIS technology, which allows high-voltage equipment to be housed in a sealed circuit, reducing the risk of polluting fluid leaks to the ground or sea.
Infrastructure for port electrification
The second substation will not only strengthen the quality and continuity of the internal electrical grid of the Port of València but also provide the necessary capacity to advance in the electrification of port operations and the deployment of new energy infrastructures.
These include OPS (Onshore Power Supply) systems, which allow berthed vessels to connect to the terrestrial electricity grid and turn off their auxiliary engines during their stay in port. This reduces emissions associated with these engines and also the acoustic impact of port activity on the environment.
