EDP is progressing in the construction of the first great hydroelectric plant with hydroscrews of Asturias. Located in the dam of La Florida, in Pilotuerto (Tineo), it will be one of the world’s largest facilities of such characteristics, with two hydroscrews in series, being each of them 19 meters long and almost 4 meters wide. With this project, that will come into operation this Autumn, the energy company goes one step further in its contribution to promote the generation of 100 % renewable energy in the region.

These “hydroscrews”, based on the technology of “Archimedes Screw”, consist of hollow cylinders, located in an inclined plane, with a central axis and helixes throughout their surface, that have an alternator attached.

Located directly above the water with the desired inclination, they rotate at a slow speed, using the natural force of water in order to produce electric energy.

In the case of the plant of Pilotuerto, the facility will have a power of 700 kW, that will enable to generate each year the energy equivalent to the average electric consumption of 1 000 households. To do so, it will make use of the maximum water level, of 9 000 liters per second in Narcea’s river, from the dam of Pilotuerto.

Hydroscrews are made of carbon steel, and, together, they weight around 100 tons, the equivalent to 70 cars.

In the environmental field, and being 100 % renewable energy, this installation will avoid the emission of 1 000 tons of CO2 yearly, a positive impact equivalent to the plating of 75 000 new trees.

Currently, the works on the dam of La Florida are mainly focused on the structure of concrete, on top of which the two hydroscrews in series, that will be arriving to the dam in the coming days, will be set.

In total, the construction works and its launching will be employing more than 30 people, surpassing 12 000 men-hours of work.

To develop and carry out the administrative technic project, EDP has collaborated with the Asturian company Sinfín Energy. The hydroscrews were manufactured in Belgium, by the company Vandezande, and will arrive in the coming days to their final location, the dam of La Florida. The transport will be mixed, maritime-terrestrial. They will ship in Gent and arrive to the port of Santander. Throughout its road transport, they will have to overcome, among other areas, the tunnel of La Barca, where it will be necessary to make a special manoeuvre to continue the same road (AS-15) until its destination.

EDP will be making a total investment of around 3 million euros and will become an aid of 355 000 euros, articulated through the summons of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of European Feder funds for innovative projects of renewable energies.

This project is part of the Low Carbon Economy projects aid line, in Electric Power Generation Installations with Renewable Energy Sources, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and managed by the IDAE, with the aim of achieving a cleaner and more sustainable economy.

This technology stands out because of its easy implementation, as well as for its lack of environmental impact. It does not imply the offshoot of rivers’ water, nor the construction of new dams, but only small preexistent leaps, that, combined with fish scales, enable their ascending and descending passage. The hydroscrews’ technology is considered to be fish-friendly, that is, it enables the passage of fishes without causing them any damage. A fish scale is being constructed in the plant of Pilouerto, to make easier their ascending upstream swimming.

These projects frame within EDP’s Business Plan for the period 2023-2026, through which it is expected to carry out investments worth 25 000 million euros, in order to accelerate the deployment of renewable energies, the flexibility of the electric system and the design of innovative energy solutions for its clients.

The generation of energy in hydraulic plants corresponds to EDP’s origins, since it launched in September 1917 the plant of La Malva, in Somiedo. This facility, that continues to produce energy to this day, adds to the other 10 hydraulic plants that EDP currently operates in the region: Proaza, Tanes, Priañes, Salime, Miranda, Caño, San Isidro, Laviana, La Florida y La Barca. They sum up a total of 425 MW of installed power and generate an average of 880 GWh per year, enough electric energy to cover the demand of 250 000 households yearly.