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.
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.
What is Plan il·lumina?
Plan il·lumina in figures
of investment to redesign the grid
affected by the DANA
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
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:
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Building the grid of the future
Through resilience measures and the latest digitalisation standards and materials.
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Coordination with public administrations
With regular meetings and the approval of a fast-track regional decree.
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The customer, at the heart of our decisions
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Minimising inconvenience for municipalities
By improving scheduled outage notices and using special measures such as generators and/or night works.
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Priority attention to private installations
Supported by a dedicated helpline for electrical installers
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. Select each one on the map below.
Area 4 of the Plan il.lumina addresses the restoration and improvement of very high voltage network facilities (overhead lines and substations) affected by the DANA.
Area 5 of the Plan il.lumina includes all restoration and improvement work on the digital network facilities affected by the DANA.
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.
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.
Timeline and progress of works in areas affected by the DANA
First hours of the DANA: swift response to worsening conditions
From the outset, local and regional i-DE teams deployed all available resources to restore supply.
On the first day, more than 200 people (staff and contractors) were mobilised from outside Valencia to support the recovery effort.
Initial efforts focused on critical infrastructure such as hospitals, health centres, public institutions and fire stations.
Up to 40 brigades from other regions (Basque Country, Navarre, La Rioja, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia and Extremadura) joined, reaching a total of 500 people.
Thanks to the company’s rapid response and resource mobilisation, around 50% of supply was restored within 24 hours, 85% within 48 hours and 95% within 72 hours.
But what were the keys to restoring supply in the affected areas?
After the DANA: reconstruction timeline under Plan il·lumina
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132 kV lines
Deadline for completion: by the end of 2024
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Transformer stations and medium- and low-voltage networks
Deadline for completion: during 2025 and 2026
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Deadline: by the end of 2026
Deadline: by the end of 2026
This project will involve the estimated reconstruction of:
transformer stations
2
severely damaged substations
substations with less-significant damage
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
Iberdrola España: standing with the areas affected by the DANA in Valencia
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.
Related information
Grupo Iberdrola
