PLAN IL·LUMINA

This is the electrical redesign of the areas affected by the 2024 flash floods in Spain

We are building the electricity grid of the future in the areas impacted by last October’s floods: a more robust, resilient and digital distribution network.

Workers rebuilding the i-DE electricity network.

On 29 October 2024, one of the most severe natural disasters in recent Spanish history struck. An exceptionally intense “DANA” –the Spanish term for a high-altitude isolated atmospheric depression– brought torrential rain to the Valencia region, as well as parts of Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia.

This weather phenomenon, also known as a “cold drop”, unleashed between 300 and 400 litres of rain per square metre, overflowing rivers, flooding towns and breaking long-standing records: in just one hour, Turís (Valencia) received 185 litres of water per square metre.

In the first few hours, the consequences were already significant:

Flooded streets, isolated infrastructure and power outages, leaving 180,000 customers without electricity

And the response was immediate:

Through its electricity distribution company i-DE, Iberdrola España responded immediately and managed to restore almost the entire power supply within 72 hours. This commitment to citizens’ safety gave rise to Plan il·lumina

What is Plan il·lumina?

Iberdrola España’s Plan il·lumina is an ambitious initiative led by i-DE, and aimed at redesigning and strengthening the electricity distribution grid in areas that were affected by the DANA. With an investment of €100 million, the project is seeking to enhance the grid’s resilience and modernisation through innovation and sustainability. The new infrastructure, to be developed between 2025 and 2026, will include measures to withstand future extreme weather events and ensure a more robust and secure supply.

Plan il·lumina in figures

The new distribution network in the affected areas will lead the way in resilience and digital solutions, benefiting 650,000 customers.

100 M€

of investment to redesign the grid

affected by the DANA

90 %

of the work planned for 2025

and completion in 2026

people in a team dedicated

exclusively to the project

operational work areas coordinated

under single management

support areas to organise the work

1.000

contractors, mostly local

The creation of a department exclusively dedicated to Plan il·lumina has enabled i-DE to continue developing its other investment projects in the Valencia region as usual.

The five foundations of Plan il·lumina

Plan il·lumina is built on five key pillars that guide our actions and electricity grid redesign projects:

Explore the map of the reconstruction of the grid affected by the DANA

The DANA caused significant damage in three distribution areas: L’Horta Sud (Zone 0), Catadau-Carlet and Requena-Utiel-Buñol. Although the Valencia Control Centre remained operational, it was isolated with no staff changes possible, and flooding prevented access to numerous i-DE facilities due to the widespread impact on customers.

Restoration efforts under Plan il·luminahave been structured into five operational areas under single management.

The map shows the five operational areas of the il·lumina Plan, with colours indicating the specific areas and the main municipalities where recovery and improvement work is being carried out on the electrical grid.

Progress in grid restoration by area

Plan il·lumina includes improvements to the electricity network in towns and villages in the Comunitat Valenciana affected by the DANA.

El presidente de Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, durante una reunión del Plan il·lumina.

Valencia and the reconstruction of the grid in the area

Valencia province was one of the hardest hit by the October 2024 DANA, with the heaviest rainfall of the storm. In Turís, the national record for rainfall in one hour was broken.

The scale of the damage in this area makes the restoration of its grid a strategic priority for Plan il·lumina. Reconstruction and modernisation efforts are ongoing in various towns and villages across the province, where i-DE is working to restore supply and implement upgrades that make the network more robust and prepared for future extreme weather.

But what were the keys to restoring supply in the affected areas?

Resource planning and preparedness

A well-established emergency plan, 500 deployed staff and extensive equipment (120 generators, 11 trailers in the first 72 hours, satellite phones and drones).

Transparency and proactive communication with customers

Through our i-DE web outage map (which received seven times more visits than usual), one million SMS and emails sent, and the prioritisation of sensitive or “special” customers.

Coordination with the authorities and media

Through our presence at CECOPI (Integrated Operational Coordination Centre), regular updates with national, regional and local authorities, and support from our external communications team.

Recent investments

Especially in digitalisation and mesh network projects, which helped enable a fast and efficient supply restoration.

We also offer essential resources such as a webpage to check scheduled power outages in Valencia.

“Despite the enormous difficulties, the company managed to restore almost the entire electricity supply in less than 72 hours. But it’s vital we look to the future and build an even more efficient distribution network.”

Mario Ruiz-Tagle

CEO of Iberdrola España

After the DANA: reconstruction timeline under Plan il·lumina

Plan il·lumina originated in the first recovery efforts following the DANA, but it has evolved into a comprehensive restructuring of the electricity grid in affected areas:

This project will involve the estimated reconstruction of:

+500

transformer stations

severely damaged substations

substations with less-significant damage

400

restored poles

We have one goal:

to build a leading, resilient and

digital grid of the future

To achieve this, we will integrate

three types of solutions focused

on resilience and digitalisation

New generation of remote management

Surge protection
Automatic reconnection after general circuit breaker trips
Physical neutral current measurement
Cybersecurity improvements

Increased automation

Improved monitoring
Enhanced supply quality
Integration of i-Trafo, which enables automated voltage regulation

New resilience measures

Undergrounding overhead lines
Elevating and compacting substations

Iberdrola España: standing with the areas affected by the DANA in Valencia

Reconstruction work on the il·lumina Plan.

From the very beginning of the storm, Iberdrola España has shown its commitment to the people affected by the DANA. Through various initiatives and the on-site efforts of i-DE, we have delivered fast and effective solutions to impacted communities. But despite what has been achieved, we firmly believe that maintaining a long-term vision is essential.

This forward-looking approach is reflected in initiatives like Plan il·lumina, which aims to improve, reinforce and prepare our infrastructure and services to ensure customer safety and wellbeing in the face of future unpredictable events.