Valenciaport invites bids for electrical substation project

Spanish Valenciaport has launched a call for tenders for the project management of the planned new electrical substation at the port.

As explained, the new electrical substation will enable the ships’ engines to connect to shore power while they are berthed at the Port of València.

Expected to be operational from 2022, the substation will provide services to different docks at the port, the future northern container terminal, and the public passenger terminal. 

The initiative is part of the Port Authority of Valencia’s (PAV) firm commitment to 2030, zero emissions, which will be two decades ahead of the decarbonization and greenhouse gas reduction objectives that Spain, Europe and international organizations have projected for 2050. Along these lines, Valenciaport is working on other projects such as the installation of photovoltaic or wind power plants, the use of green hydrogen or the supply of LNG, among others.

Earlier this year, the port joined the club of twelve international ports committed to decarbonization and emission reduction projects. It became a member of the World Ports Climate Action Program (WPCAP), a working group that jointly promotes actions against climate change and that collaborates closely with the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH).

Specifically, the specifications published for the substation are aimed at contracting the site management service and the health and safety coordination of the construction of the transformer substation and the new underground line. The tender budget is close to EUR 600,000 and contemplates an estimated completion period of 23 months.

It will interconnect the network of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) facilities with the 132 kV high voltage distribution network.

The project encompasses the installation in two stages of two transformers with a total apparent power of 60 Mega Voltamperes (30 MVA each), which will reduce the voltage received at 132 kV to 20 kV, as a preliminary step in order to deliver this voltage to the different points of the APV facilities, including the terminal docks to enable the connection of ships to the network.

Last year, the Port of Valencia secured aid from the European Commission for two projects aimed at facilitating and accelerating the possibility of connecting ships to the electricity grid. The financing will also contribute to the electrical substation project at the port.