Baluma Solar Granada: environmental impact approved for underground burial of 1,152 m of 220 kV line

Key data

The Baluma Solar photovoltaic solar plant, with 58.14 MW of installed capacity in the province of Granada, has received a favorable simplified environmental impact report for its modification. The resolution, signed on 21 September 2026 and published in the BOE on 17 October 2026 (BOE-A-2026-21662), enables Baluma Solar SLU to execute the underground burial of a section of its evacuation infrastructure, thus fulfilling a prior urban planning requirement.

The change is not voluntary: the Planning Plan for the Urban Agglomeration of Granada already required the underground burial of that specific section. The environmental resolution clears the last administrative obstacle of an environmental nature so that the works can begin.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution formulates a simplified environmental impact report —not an ordinary environmental impact statement— for the modification of the photovoltaic installation and its evacuation infrastructure. This means that the project, as designed, does not require a complete ordinary environmental assessment, but is subject to a set of mandatory prescriptions.

The technical modification consists of the underground burial of 1,152 meters of overhead line at 220 kV in the vicinity of the Cubillas river, executed using two complementary techniques:

• Open trench for sections where the terrain permits.
• Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for the most sensitive crossings, especially in the riparian zone.

The promoter evaluated several routing alternatives and chose the one that minimizes the impact on vegetation, threatened flora and habitats, and that best adapts to the affected olive groves in the surrounding area.

The prescriptions incorporated after consultations with multiple regional and state bodies are grouped into four areas:

The project does not affect protected hydrological areas, although the area is located above the Sierra Elvira groundwater body, which justifies the specific prescriptions regarding water.

Economic and operational impact

For Baluma Solar SLU, the approval of the environmental impact report means the unblocking of a modification that was a necessary condition for the normal operation of the plant in accordance with current urban planning. Without this approval, the overhead evacuation infrastructure would have remained in a situation of non-compliance with the Planning Plan for the Urban Agglomeration of Granada.

From an operational perspective, the underground burial of 1,152 meters of line at 220 kV implies:

• Civil works costs (trench and horizontal directional drilling) which, in projects of this scale and voltage, are usually significantly higher than equivalent overhead line costs.
• Coordination with river basin bodies (Cubillas river) and with the local administration of Atarfe during the execution phase.
• Compliance with the approved environmental prescriptions as a sine qua non condition to maintain the validity of the favorable report.
• Environmental monitoring and surveillance during and after the works, especially regarding the Sierra Elvira groundwater body.

Non-compliance with any of the prescriptions included in the resolution could result in the opening of a review procedure for the environmental report or in the precautionary suspension of the works by the competent environmental administration.

Who does it affect?

• Baluma Solar SLU: direct promoter of the modification; must execute the works in accordance with the approved prescriptions.
• Local administration of Atarfe (Granada): municipality where the affected infrastructure is located; must coordinate with the promoter the measures to minimize impact on the population.
• Consulted regional and state bodies: have issued reports that have been incorporated as binding prescriptions (river basin confederation, cultural heritage, environment of the Junta de Andalucía, among others).
• Owners of olive groves in the vicinity of the route: may be affected by the trench and horizontal directional drilling works.
• Promoters of other photovoltaic projects in Granada: the resolution sets a precedent for the environmental treatment of underground burial of evacuation lines in riparian and olive grove environments.

Practical example

Baluma Solar SLU must bury 1,152 meters of overhead line at 220 kV in the vicinity of the Cubillas river. The chosen route avoids direct impact on threatened flora and priority habitats, opting for horizontal directional drilling at the most sensitive crossing points —especially in the riparian zone— and for open trench in the olive grove sections where the impact is lower.

During execution, the promoter must demonstrate to the General Directorate of Quality and Environmental Assessment compliance with prescriptions regarding water (protection of the Sierra Elvira underground body), vegetation (no impact on threatened flora), cultural heritage (archaeological monitoring in trench) and population (minimization of disturbances in Atarfe). Any deviation from the approved project that entails a new unevaluated environmental impact would require initiating a new evaluation procedure.

What should companies do now?

1. Baluma Solar SLU: thoroughly review the approved prescriptions in the resolution of 21 September 2026 before starting any work, to ensure that the executive project incorporates them in their entirety.
2. Design the specific environmental monitoring plan for the four prescription areas: water, vegetation, cultural heritage and population, with monitoring indicators and designated responsible parties.
3. Coordinate with the competent river basin confederation the works in the public hydraulic domain area of the Cubillas river, especially in the horizontal directional drilling sections.
4. Communicate to the local administration of Atarfe the works schedule and the measures planned to minimize the impact on the population, in accordance with the prescriptions of the resolution.
5. Other photovoltaic promoters in Andalusia: analyze this resolution as a reference for projects that include underground burial of evacuation lines in riparian, olive grove or groundwater body environments, as the prescriptions applied may anticipate the criteria that the administration will require in future procedures.

Official source

Consult 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-2026-21662