Agüimes III solar plant: authorities approve a minor technical change
The Canary Islands' Dirección General de Energía has approved a minor modification to the authorisation for the "Planta Fotovoltaica Agüimes III" solar plant in southern Gran Canaria. The plant is operated by Naturgy Renovables Canarias, S.L.U. This is not a new plant or an expansion, but a technical adjustment to the existing grid connection. The change was reported by the local outlet maspalomas24h on 17 August 2026, citing the administrative file.
Photo: M J Roscoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Symbolbild).
At its core, the modification adapts the plant to the replacement of a transformer at the Montaña del Canónigo collector substation and raises the voltage of the evacuation line from 20 kV to 30 kV. No figures were disclosed for investment, expected output or any timeline.
What was approved
According to maspalomas24h, on 17 August 2026 the Dirección General de Energía approved a change classified as minor to the existing authorisation for the Agüimes III solar plant. The adjustment is intended to synchronise the plant with the replacement of a transformer at the Montaña del Canónigo collector substation.
At the same time, the voltage of the evacuation line is being raised from 20 kV to 30 kV. The measure concerns how the existing plant feeds its electricity into the grid — not additional capacity or extra modules.
The existing plant
The Agüimes III solar plant sits within the municipality of Agüimes in southern Gran Canaria. According to maspalomas24h, it comprises 11,043 photovoltaic modules of 360 Wp each and has a capacity of 3.4 MW. The modules are arranged in rows of 27 panels wired in series, in three horizontal rows.
The original authorisation dates from 25 April 2023 and was published in the state gazette BOE (BOE-B-2023-38437). Agüimes III is therefore a comparatively small facility within Naturgy's portfolio on the island.
The technical detail
The infrastructure involved includes, according to the file, two transformation substations with inverters (2,465 kVA and 1,200 kVA) and two transformers (2,200 kVA and 1,200 kVA) rated at 30 kV. There are also underground evacuation lines of 61 m and 494 m, plus a 247 m connector.
These elements relate to the conversion and evacuation of the electricity generated. Raising the line to 30 kV brings the plant into line with the works at the Montaña del Canónigo substation, through which its power is evacuated.
What is not known
Several points remain undisclosed. Neither an investment figure nor the expected annual output, a number of homes powered, avoided CO₂ emissions or a specific timeline were published, according to the available sources. Such metrics should therefore not be assumed or extrapolated.
The authorisation describes an administrative and technical adjustment. It is not evidence of a large new investment and, on its own, allows no conclusions about additional generation.
Context: renewables in the Canaries
The step fits into the generally slow build-out of renewable energy across the Canary Islands. The isolated island grids still rely heavily on fossil generation, and small projects such as Agüimes III each contribute only a small share.
It is precisely for that reason that technical detail steps — a transformer swap, a higher evacuation voltage — often keep such plants running. A single grid adjustment does not point to any noticeable acceleration of the roll-out.
The framing matters: this is a technical adjustment to an existing plant, not a new installation.
Facts and figures
- Operator: Naturgy Renovables Canarias, S.L.U.; plant: Planta Fotovoltaica Agüimes III, Agüimes, Gran Canaria (maspalomas24h, 17 Aug 2026)
- Capacity: 3.4 MW; 11,043 modules of 360 Wp each, in rows of 27 panels, three horizontal rows (maspalomas24h)
- Original authorisation: 25 April 2023, BOE-B-2023-38437
- Change of 17 Aug 2026: adaptation to a transformer replacement at the Montaña del Canónigo substation, voltage 20 kV → 30 kV (Dirección General de Energía)
- Infrastructure: two substations with inverters (2,465 and 1,200 kVA), two transformers (2,200 and 1,200 kVA) at 30 kV; evacuation lines of 61 m and 494 m plus a 247 m connector
- Not disclosed: investment, annual output, homes powered, CO₂ savings, timeline
FAQ
- What exactly was approved?
- A change classified as minor to the existing authorisation for the Agüimes III solar plant: adaptation to a transformer replacement and a rise in the evacuation voltage from 20 kV to 30 kV, according to maspalomas24h and the Dirección General de Energía.
- Does this make the plant bigger?
- No. It concerns the grid connection, not additional capacity or modules. The plant stays at 3.4 MW and 11,043 modules.
- How much is being invested?
- No figures are available. Investment, output and timeline were not disclosed.
- How long has Agüimes III existed?
- The original authorisation dates from 25 April 2023 (BOE-B-2023-38437); the operator is Naturgy Renovables Canarias, S.L.U.
- Why does it matter?
- Such technical steps keep existing plants connected. The build-out of renewables on the heavily fossil-reliant island grids of the Canaries is slow overall.
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