I-DE, Iberdrola España's distribution company, pushes electrification in Castile and León as a driver of competitiveness, energy independence and investment
- More than 400 employees of Iberdrola España's distribution company celebrate their 22nd Grids business meeting
- The director of i-DE in Castile and León, Óscar Villanueva, chaired the conference alongside the heads of the Grids business in Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Soria, Valladolid and Zamora
Castile and León hosted i-DE’s 22nd Grids business meeting, Iberdrola España's distribution company. The event brought together more than 400 employees and was chaired by the director of i-DE in the Western region, Óscar Villanueva, together with the heads of the Grids Business in Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Soria, Valladolid and Zamora.
During the conference, the economy’s electrification was highlighted as a strategy to achieve sustainability and efficiency. The director of i-DE in the Western region, Óscar Villanueva, said that ‘we have a great opportunity to industrialise the country sustainably, committing to electrify businesses that currently depend on fossil fuels’.
‘This transformation will enable us to reduce the emissions of environmentally harmful polluting gases that accelerate climate change. Initiatives such as promoting electric vehicles or using electricity for heating in residences and industry are clear examples of how we can move towards a cleaner, more efficient model that is committed to the future of the planet,’ he said.
The energy transition was also mentioned, one that has major benefits both nationally and regionally thanks to our abundant natural resources —sun, wind and water— which are essential for generating clean and competitive energy. These resources should be taken advantage of through renewable technologies and storage systems.
Under this framework, i-DE officials stressed that all growing industries will need more electricity, which will require increased investment in grids: ‘We need to understand the new rules of the game to build a business plan that will enable us to ambitiously tackle this new period (2026–2031). Smart grids are the backbone of the energy transition, as they integrate renewables and connect large industrial projects’.
Villanueva concluded by reaffirming that ‘committing to electrification and modern, resilient grids is essential to achieve the economy’s decarbonisation, advance the energy transition and ensure a sustainable, competitive and high-quality future for society’.
More than 50,000 km of power lines in Castile and León
In Castile and León, i-DE manages more than 50,000 km of power lines, with 15,697 transformer stations in service and 246 substations.
In recent years, the company has undertaken an ambitious plan to digitise its electricity grids, converting its more than 1.5 million meters in the region and the infrastructure that supports them into smart meters, incorporating remote management, monitoring and automation capabilities.
The digitisation of the electricity transmission grid will provide more information to implement additional energy efficiency and sustainability measures, in line with a commitment to ambitious and urgent climate action. Rolling out the smart electricity network will make it possible to response to new models of grid use and offer users better service.
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