Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of July 20, 2026, from the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | August 13, 2026 |
| Effective date | August 13, 2026 |
| Affected promoter | Solaria Promoción y Desarrollo Fotovoltaico, SLU |
| Project | Carina Solar 10 — 49.4 MW photovoltaic installation |
| Location | Provinces of Toledo and Madrid |
| Reason for denial | Expiration of access and connection permits to the Lucero 220 kV substation (Red Eléctrica de España, October 2024) |
| Category | Energy / Renewables |
| BOE Reference | BOE-A-2026-17719 |
A 49.4 MW photovoltaic project with six years of processing, favorable environmental impact assessment and prior administrative authorization granted has just been definitively denied. Not due to environmental or technical problems with the project itself, but because access and connection permits to the Lucero 220 kV substation expired in October 2024.
The Resolution of July 20, 2026 from the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines rejects the application from Solaria Promoción y Desarrollo Fotovoltaico, SLU, for the photovoltaic installation Carina Solar 10, published in the BOE on August 13, 2026 with reference BOE-A-2026-17719. It is a brutal reminder that in the Spanish renewable sector, the bottleneck is not always where expected.
What does this resolution establish?
The resolution reviews the complete history of the file and concludes with the rejection of the application for prior administrative authorization and construction for Carina Solar 10. The chronology is as follows:
| Date | File milestone |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Start of project processing by Solaria |
| May 2023 | Grant of prior administrative authorization |
| 2023 | Favorable Environmental Impact Declaration (EIA) |
| October 2024 | Red Eléctrica de España communicates expiration of access and connection permits to the Lucero 220 kV substation |
| Hearing procedure | Solaria alleges defects in reasoning and requests reversal of actions |
| July 20, 2026 | The General Directorate maintains the denial proposal and rejects the application |
| August 13, 2026 | Publication of the resolution in the BOE |
The administration's central argument is clear: without valid access and connection permits, the project lacks technical viability and cannot be authorized. Solaria's allegations — defects in reasoning and request for reversal of actions — did not succeed. The administration maintained its entire denial proposal intact.
Economic and operational impact
For Solaria, the denial of Carina Solar 10 means the direct loss of a development asset of 49.4 MW of photovoltaic capacity, with all processing costs accumulated over six years: technical studies, environmental assessment, fees, administrative charges and legal resources.
Beyond the impact on Solaria, the case has a sector-wide reading with direct operational consequences for any renewable promoter:
- Grid permits have their own life and can expire independently of the progress of the administrative file. A favorable EIA does not freeze or extend access and connection permits.
- The bottleneck is the grid, not the project. Projects that are technically and environmentally viable can be blocked if the assigned connection point expires or is reassigned.
- Investment in processing is not recoverable if the grid permit lapses. There is no automatic compensation mechanism for incurred costs.
- Solaria's expansion strategy in Spain is directly affected by this resolution, which eliminates a project from its development portfolio.
Who does it affect?
- Solaria Promoción y Desarrollo Fotovoltaico, SLU — direct promoter, loses the Carina Solar 10 project.
- Renewable energy promoters with projects in processing that have access and connection permits close to expiration.
- Investors and funds with positions in photovoltaic project portfolios in Spain, especially in early or mid-development phases.
- Legal and technical advisors managing authorization files for renewable installations before the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines.
- CFOs and business development directors at energy companies that need to review the status of their grid permits in portfolio.
Practical example
The Carina Solar 10 case itself is the most illustrative example available. Solaria began processing in 2020, obtained prior administrative authorization in May 2023 and had a favorable EIA that same year. Everything pointed to the project advancing toward construction.
However, in October 2024, Red Eléctrica de España communicated that access and connection permits to the Lucero 220 kV substation had expired. At that point, the project lost its technical viability for energy evacuation, regardless of whether all other procedures were in order.
Solaria attempted to reverse the situation in the hearing procedure by alleging defects in reasoning and requesting reversal of actions — that is, going back in the procedure to remedy the problem. The administration rejected these arguments and confirmed the denial. The result: six years of processing and all associated costs with no authorized project.
This scenario can be replicated in any renewable project where the promoter has not actively monitored the validity of their grid permits in parallel with the progress of the administrative file.
What should promoters do now?
- Audit the status of all your access and connection permits in portfolio. Identify expiration dates and at-risk projects. Do not wait for REE to communicate expiration: act first.
- Cross-reference the grid permit calendar with the administrative calendar. If the file processing is prolonged, verify that grid permits remain valid or manage their renewal with sufficient advance notice.
- Set up internal alerts on grid permit expirations. The expiration of access and connection permits does not always generate automatic notification with sufficient margin to act.
- Review contracts with technical and legal advisors to ensure they include active monitoring of grid permit status, not just the administrative file.
- Evaluate alternative connection points for projects where the grid permit is close to expiration, before expiration makes the project unviable.
- Inform investors and partners about the risk of grid permit expiration as a critical risk variable in the valuation of development project portfolios.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Carina Solar 10 denied if it had a favorable EIA and prior authorization?
Because in October 2024, Red Eléctrica de España communicated the expiration of access and connection permits to the Lucero 220 kV substation. Without those permits, the project has no technical viability to evacuate the generated energy, which prevents granting final authorization, regardless of whether the EIA was favorable in 2023 and prior administrative authorization was granted in May 2023.
What are grid access and connection permits and why do they expire?
They are permits granted by the system operator (Red Eléctrica de España) to allow an installation to connect to a specific point on the electrical grid — in this case, the Lucero 220 kV substation. They have a limited validity period. If the project does not advance sufficiently within that period, the permit expires and the connection point can be reassigned to another project.
Can Solaria appeal this resolution or recover the project?
The resolution rejects the application after rejecting Solaria's allegations in the hearing procedure, where the company alleged defects in reasoning and requested reversal of actions without success. The resolution is a final administrative act subject to administrative litigation, but the technical viability of the project remains conditioned on having valid grid permits.
What risk does this case pose for other photovoltaic promoters in Spain?
The risk is direct and replicable: any promoter with projects in prolonged processing can find themselves in the same situation if access and connection permits expire before obtaining final authorization. Administrative processing in Spain can take several years, and grid permit deadlines are not automatically suspended by the progress of the file.
How long had Carina Solar 10 been in processing and what milestones had it passed?
The project began in 2020. In May 2023 it obtained prior administrative authorization and that same year passed environmental impact assessment with a favorable EIA. Despite these advances, the expiration of grid permits communicated by REE in October 2024 definitively blocked the project, which was denied by resolution of July 20, 2026, published in the BOE on August 13, 2026.
Official source
View complete regulation in official source (BOE-A-2026-17719)
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-2026-17719