Ziérbena Gas Plant: €9.16M to Operate at 100% Capacity

Key data

The regasification plant of Bahía de Bizkaia Gas in Ziérbena (Bizkaia) operated with a critical dependency: its seawater intake system was linked to that of the combined cycle power plant of Bahía Bizkaia Electricidad. When that plant shut down, BBG was forced to activate a submerged combustion vaporizer, which reduced regasification capacity to 25% and generated additional CO₂ emissions. The Resolution of June 29, 2026 from the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines eliminates that dependency by authorizing the construction of an alternative system.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution grants Bahía de Bizkaia Gas, SL two simultaneous authorizations:

• Administrative authorization to build the alternative seawater intake and discharge system.
• Approval of the execution project for the facilities described under the official name "Alternative seawater intake system for the Bahía de Bizkaia Gas (BBG) Regasification Plant in Ziérbena, Bizkaia".

The project resolves a structural vulnerability of the plant: the dependency on the intake system of the combined cycle power plant of Bahía Bizkaia Electricidad. With the new system, BBG will have its own seawater intake and discharge infrastructure, which will allow it to operate the seawater vaporizers at full capacity regardless of the operational status of the adjacent power plant.

The administrative process included a favorable report from the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) issued in May 2026. During the public information period, no objections were received from individuals.

Economic and operational impact

The investment of €9.16 million has a direct return in terms of capacity and supply security. The most relevant operational effects are:

• Elimination of the bottleneck: The plant moves from an effective capacity of 25% (when the neighboring power plant is shut down) to 100% autonomously.
• Reduction of CO₂ emissions: The submerged combustion vaporizer that was used as an alternative solution generated additional emissions. The new system eliminates that need.
• Supply security: The Ziérbena plant is critical infrastructure for natural gas supply in northern Spain. Operating at 100% independently reduces systemic risk in the event of unplanned power plant shutdowns.
• Operational independence: BBG is no longer conditioned by the operational decisions or maintenance of a third party (Bahía Bizkaia Electricidad) to determine its own regasification capacity.

Who does it affect?

• Bahía de Bizkaia Gas, SL (BBG): Directly authorized company. Must execute the project in accordance with the approved plan.
• Gas system operators in northern Spain: Benefit from greater supply guarantee from the Ziérbena plant.
• Large industrial gas consumers in the Basque Country and Cantabria: The greater regasification capacity available strengthens supply security in the region.
• Bahía Bizkaia Electricidad: The combined cycle power plant is no longer a necessary link in BBG's operational chain for seawater intake.
• Regulators and critical infrastructure managers: The CNMC has already issued a favorable report; project monitoring is the responsibility of the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines.

Practical example

Before this authorization, in a scenario of unplanned shutdown of the combined cycle power plant of Bahía Bizkaia Electricidad, the BBG plant in Ziérbena could only regasify 25% of its installed capacity, approximately 200,000 Nm³/h of the total 800,000 Nm³/h. To cover the remaining demand, the plant activated the submerged combustion vaporizer, with the associated operating costs and CO₂ emissions.

With the new proprietary intake system, in that same power plant shutdown scenario, BBG can operate directly at 800,000 Nm³/h without resorting to the alternative vaporizer, eliminating both the capacity bottleneck and additional emissions. The €9.16M investment is justified precisely by the frequency of these shutdowns and the operating and supply costs they generated.

What should companies do now?

1. If you are BBG or its project team: Begin execution of the project in accordance with the plan approved in the resolution, respecting the technical and administrative conditions established by the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines.
2. If you are a gas system operator or large industrial consumer in northern Spain: Update your supply continuity plans taking into account that the regasification capacity of Ziérbena will be full and independent once the project is executed.
3. If you are a provider of engineering or energy infrastructure construction services: Identify opportunities for participation in the bidding or execution of the project, whose budget amounts to €9.16M.
4. If you are a risk manager or compliance officer in the energy sector: Record this authorization as a relevant milestone in the critical gas supply infrastructure map of the Cantabrian coast.

Official source

View complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-15444