Iberdrola is investing in space technology from the Finnish company ICEYE to strengthen its electrical network against extreme weather events

The use of synthetic aperture radar satellites will enable the early detection of risks such as floods, fires and strong winds, allow for rapid damage assessment, and minimise their impact on the electricity supply
Following the first project in Spain, there are plans to expand its use to the United States and Australia
The solution, which won one of the New-Tech Challenges organised as part of Iberdrola’s international open innovation programme, PERSEO – driven by the Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub – will initially be rolled out through a pilot project in Spain. More than 40 proposals from ten countries were submitted for the challenge

Smart grids

Technician performing maintenance on high-voltage power lines on transmission tower during heavy rain.

Iberdrola's networks comprise more than 1.4 million kilometres of transmission and distribution lines across various countries and serve millions of customers.

Iberdrola has selected satellite technology from the Finnish company ICEYE to develop an innovation project aimed at strengthening its electrical network's resilience to extreme weather events. The initiative will enable risks to be anticipated, damage to be assessed rapidly and its impact on the electricity supply to be minimised, thanks to the use of near-real-time geospatial data.

The solution, which won one of the New-Tech Challenges organised as part of Iberdrola’s international open innovation programme, PERSEO – driven by the Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub – will initially be rolled out through a pilot project in Spain. More than 40 proposals from ten countries were submitted for the challenge.

At this stage ICEYE's constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites will enable risks to be anticipated and various events — such as floods, fires and strong winds — to be monitored in selected areas, with the capacity to observe 24 hours a day and in the most adverse weather conditions.

Thanks to rapid and objective assessments, even when ground access is limited, Iberdrola will be able to prioritise the most affected assets, mobilise repair teams more effectively and speed up the restoration of service.

Iberdrola's networks comprise more than 1.4 million kilometres of transmission and distribution lines across various countries and serve millions of customers.

Building on the experience gained in Spain, the programme also provides access to ICEYE's rapid assessment capabilities for other phenomena such as hurricanes affecting the company's assets in the United States and Australia, with detailed damage maps available within 24 hours of the event.

For his part, Gonzalo García Muñoz, Senior Vice-President of Global Operations and CEO of ICEYE Spain, emphasised that "esta colaboración permite integrar la inteligencia satelital en las operaciones de red, detectar riesgos con mayor antelación y acelerar la recuperación del suministro en las zonas afectadas".

Óscar Villanueva, Director of the Western Region at i-DE Redes Eléctricas Inteligentes, Iberdrola España's distribution arm, notes that "la resiliencia es una prioridad clave para nuestras redes eléctricas, y esta colaboración nos permite incorporar capacidades avanzadas de observación y análisis para prever eventos extremos, minimizar su impacto en los clientes y reforzar el sistema eléctrico a largo plazo".

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