News

Iberdrola has awarded a contract to EFACEC Energia, Máquinas e Equipamentos Eléctricos, S.A. for the manufacture and supply of transformers for the Gouvães, Alto Támega and Daivões power plants, part of the Támega Hydroelectric Complex.

This contract, worth 11 million euros, was awarded to EFACEC after the company won a highly competitive international tender alongside other major companies in the industry.

Thanks to this agreement, EFACEC, whose headquarters are in the municipality of São Mamede de Infesta, will play a strategic role in the project on the Támega River, one of the most important of its kind in Europe in the last 25 years.

This award is further proof of the trust Iberdrola is placing in local Portuguese companies for this major hydroelectric development, which has entailed hiring more than 70 local suppliers and orders worth more than 364 million euros.

Overall, Iberdrola is planning on allocating over 900 million euros for contracting construction, equipment, machinery, engineering and environmental protection companies, with preference for the regional and domestic Portuguese market.

The group expects the Támega hydroelectric complex will boost northern Portugal’s economy, with the creation of 13,500 jobs, both direct and indirect, especially in the towns where the project is to be carried out, namely: Ribeira de Pena, Vila Pouca de Aguiar, Cabeceiras de Basto, Chaves, Boticas, Valpaços and Montalegre.

The contract with EFACEC covers manufacture, supply, installation supervision and start-up of the individual transformers and transformer groups that will provide auxiliary services to the three power plants that make up the Támega hydroelectric complex. It is expected these transformers will be commissioned between 2021 and 2023.

Specifically, EFACEC, will construct four three-phase power transformers – with a power of 245 megavolt amperes (MVA) and a transformation ratio of 400/15 kilovolts (kV) – and two transformers for auxiliary service – with a power of 5.6 MVA and ratio of 20/15 KV – at the Gouvães underground harnessing power plant.

For the Alto Támega Plant it will also manufacture two three-phase power transformers – with a power of 90 MVA and ratio of 400/15 KV – and two transformers for auxiliary services – with a power of 2.5 MVA and a ratio of 15/0.42 KV.

Another two three-phase power transformers – with a power of 65 MVA and a ratio of 400/15 kV – and two transformers for auxiliary services – with a power of 2.5 MVA and a ratio of 15/0,42 kV – will be manufactured for the Daivões Plant.

The Támega Hydroelectric Complex is one of the biggest energy initiatives in Portugal’s history, with a total investment of more than 1.5 billion euros and a combined power output of 1,158 megawatts (MW).