Procedure and requirements for granting transmission grid access capacity for renewable synchronous electricity generation modules in transition nodes

As previously indicated in our September alert (available here), the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge ("MITERD") aimed to regulate the granting of access capacity for renewable synchronous electricity generation modules at transition nodes.

Purpose
The Order regulates the procedure for the granting of capacity at the following fair transition nodes (nudos de transición justa):

Name and tension of the just transition node	Access capacity for MGES (MW)
Garoña 220 kV	151
Guardo 220 kV	216
Lada 400 kV	90
Mudéjar 400 kV	154
Robla 400 kV	648

Applicable requirements

This procedure may only be used to grant access capacity to generation facilities using synchronous electricity generation modules of renewable origin (MGES) and/or storage facilities.

 

According to the Order, installations composed of power park modules (MPE), even if accompanied by synchronous compensators, or MPE that incorporate control functions that emulate the behavior of MGES, will not be considered MGES and therefore will not be eligible to request capacity.

Moreover, projects must be located within the municipalities defined in the just transition agreements (convenios de transición justa) of each node, however, up to 20% of the occupied area, delimited by the polygonal line encompassing the generation project, may be located in neighbouring municipalities.Procedure

The procedure differs slightly from the ordinary procedure established in RD 1183/2020; however, it follows its general lines.

The criterion for the granting of capacity will be the ordinary temporal priority from the entry into force of the Order (i.e., 19 April 2024).

Furthermore, in addition to the documentation established in art. 3 of CNMC Circular 1/2021 for the application for access and connection permits, the following documentation, among others, must be added:

1. Responsible statement of compliance with the legal, technical and economic capacity requirements.
2. Socioeconomic actions to be developed (increase of self-consumption, individual formation or generation of employment).
3. File with georeferenced data in vector format containing the polygons delimiting the generation or storage facilities.

The grid operator (REE) will have 20 days to (i) request the amendment of the documentation or (ii) admit or reject the request.

Economic guarantees

According to the Order, those interested in obtaining access capacity in these nodes must submit two economic guarantees:

1. The guarantee established in art. 23 of RD 1183/2020, in the amount of €40/kW prior to the application for the access and connection permits; and
2. A definitive guarantee in the amount of €120/kW, to guarantee compliance with the socio-economic commitments submitted.

Regarding the definitive guarantee, art. 8 of the Order establishes that that this must be constituted and deposited once the access and connection permits have been obtained. On the other hand, in order for this guarantee to be released, the fulfilment of the socioeconomic commitments must be justified and verified by means of an auditor's report.

Such report shall be based on:

1. Installed capacity for self-consumption and associated consumers.
2. Duration of training actions and participants.
3. Personnel hired for work generated by the socioeconomic commitments.

The maximum period to justify the socioeconomic commitments acquired is six years from the granting of the access and connection permits and ten years for reversible pumping installations.

Additional capacity

The available capacity not subject to the procedure established in the Order, as well as the capacity for MGES not granted within one year from the entry into force of the same, will be granted in accordance with procedures for just transition nodes.