Improving the accesses to the Valdecañas power plant and collaborating in the protection of the Alcántara bridge
Iberdrola España is improving the road surface of part of the local road owned by the Valdecañas de Tajo Town Council that connects this town with Mesas de Ibor. The section to be rehabilitated is between the Valdemoreno bridge, which crosses the Tagus river downstream of the Valdecañas dam, and the vicinity of the Valdecañas dam.
Illustration 1: Improved road section
The road surface in this area had certain deficiencies, posing a risk to road traffic. In order to improve road safety for users of this road, Iberdrola has repaired the existing deficiencies, completely asphalted the road and included reflective road markings.
Illustration 2: Road improvement works
In addition, the company, as an established practice and in the interests of promoting rural society, works with local companies, which in turn employ local people.
This initiative improves the surroundings of the village of Valdemoreno, as well as access to the area from towns such as Mesas de Ibor or Bohonal de Ibor, for both sporadic and regular tourists who are attracted by the impressive views of the Valdecañas dam and the reservoir it forms, This is surrounded by hiking routes such as the Valdecañas reservoir dam route, La Fuente route, El Pilón route or even the interior route to the Templo de los Mármoles (Temple of the Marbles).
Illustration 3: Final road condition
The roman bridge of alcántara has also been protected
The Department of Mobility, Transport and Housing of the Regional Government of Extremadura has promoted the construction of a new bridge over the Tagus River on the EX-117 in the municipality of Alcántara, in the vicinity of the José María Oriol hydroelectric power plant, between the dam and the Roman Bridge of Alcántara. The first phase of the works began in 2022. The aim is to provide an alternative crossing over the river to prevent the circulation of vehicles over the Roman Bridge and thus protect this monument (declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of national monument on 13 August 1924). There is a strong social demand for this.
The agreement between the Government of Extremadura, the UTE NUEVO PUENTE EN ALCÁNTARA and Iberdrola España aims to use the crest of the dam as a passageway for the transport of construction materials between the two banks of the Tagus River. This will minimise the impact of the construction of the new bridge on the Roman Bridge of Alcántara, as all construction vehicles will be diverted through the dam. All united with the commitment to protect the historic construction.
These are some images of what it will look like once it is built:
