39.6 MW Batteries Authorized in Alcalá de Guadaíra: Keys for the Renewable Sector

Key data

Senen Energía, SL has just obtained prior administrative authorization and administrative construction authorization for a battery storage module of 39.6 MW that will be hybridized with its already operational photovoltaic solar park "SES" of 46.2 MW in Alcalá de Guadaíra (Seville). The resolution, signed on June 25, 2026 by the Directorate General for Energy Policy and Mines and published in the BOE on July 20, 2026, is one of the first documented cases of application of the Royal Decree 997/2025 on urgent measures to strengthen the electrical system.

For renewable energy promoters, this resolution is not just competitive news: it is a roadmap. It shows exactly what processing applies, what evacuation infrastructure is reused, and which bodies must be consulted when adding storage to an already operating solar plant.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution grants two simultaneous authorizations to Senen Energía, SL:

• Prior administrative authorization of the "SES" battery storage module of 39.6 MW.
• Administrative construction authorization of the same module and its evacuation infrastructure.

The differentiating element is the regulatory framework that makes it possible: the RD 997/2025 on urgent measures to strengthen the electrical system. This royal decree allows two key advantages for hybridization projects like this:

• Simplified processing compared to the ordinary energy authorization procedure.
• Exemption from environmental impact assessment in cases of hybridization of already operational renewable installations.

The evacuation infrastructure of the new battery module has been designed to maximize what already exists. The approved technical solution is as follows:

The file was processed without opposition from the consulted bodies, which reinforces the soundness of the procedure and the viability of the model for future similar projects.

Economic and operational impact

For Senen Energía, SL, hybridization represents a substantial improvement in the profitability of its existing solar asset. By adding 39.6 MW of storage capacity to a 46.2 MW plant, the company can:

• Shift energy injection to hours of higher prices in the wholesale market.
• Provide system adjustment services (frequency regulation, balance) remunerated by REE.
• Reduce energy spillage during hours of negative or zero prices.
• Improve the predictability of its generation profile, with positive impact on asset financing.

From an operational perspective, the reuse of existing evacuation infrastructure to the Don Rodrigo 400 kV substation eliminates one of the biggest bottlenecks in storage projects: obtaining a new access point and connection to the network. This significantly reduces the cost and timeline of project development.

For the sector as a whole, the impact is a regulatory signal: RD 997/2025 is being applied effectively, and simplified processing works. This reduces the development cost of hybridization projects for all promoters who have operational solar plants with available evacuation capacity.

Who does it affect?

• Photovoltaic solar energy promoters with already operational plants that have unused evacuation capacity.
• Energy storage project developers studying hybridization as a market entry route.
• Infrastructure funds and private capital with renewable assets in portfolio susceptible to hybridization.
• Legal and technical advisors specialized in processing energy installations, who must know the RD 997/2025 procedure.
• Engineering and construction companies in the energy sector that execute storage projects.
• CFOs and operations directors of utilities and energy companies evaluating the profitability of adding batteries to existing assets.

Practical example

Imagine you are a promoter of a 50 MW photovoltaic solar plant in Andalusia, operational since 2022, connected to a REE substation and with partially available evacuation capacity. Until RD 997/2025 came into force, adding a battery module required initiating an ordinary authorization file, including environmental assessment, timelines of several years, and high processing costs.

With the framework that Senen Energía just applied in Alcalá de Guadaíra, the path is different:

1. You request prior administrative authorization and construction authorization under the simplified procedure of RD 997/2025.
2. You design the evacuation of the battery module through an underground line at 30 kV to a sectioning center, then connecting with the already existing evacuation infrastructure of your solar plant.
3. The file is processed without the need for environmental impact assessment, since it is hybridization on an operational renewable installation.
4. If the consulted bodies do not object —as happened in the "SES" case— the resolution can be obtained in significantly shorter timelines than the ordinary procedure.

The Senen Energía case demonstrates that this model is viable and that the administration is resolving it favorably.

What should companies do now?

1. Audit your solar asset portfolio: identify which plants have available evacuation capacity and could be hybridized with storage under RD 997/2025.
2. Review Royal Decree 997/2025: analyze the specific requirements of simplified processing and environmental assessment exemption cases to ensure your project fits.
3. Evaluate the evacuation solution: the Senen Energía model —underground line at 30 kV to sectioning center, reusing existing infrastructure— is replicable and reduces costs. Commission a preliminary technical study.
4. Consult with REE about available capacity at your plant's connection point to determine if hybridization is viable without network reinforcement.
5. Prepare the file documentation in advance: although the procedure is simplified, the technical quality of the project is decisive for consulted bodies not to present opposition.
6. Assess the impact on asset financing: adding storage can improve the risk profile of the project before financiers, opening refinancing or debt expansion options.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source (BOE-A-2026-15831)

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-2026-15831