Tenerife and La Gomera: a single electrical system from July 2026

Key data

Tenerife and La Gomera operate as a single electrical system from July 1, 2026. The Order TED/624/2026, of June 12, published in the BOE on June 23, 2026, formalizes this integration following the commissioning of the 66 kV interconnection between both islands, completed on April 23, 2026. The change is not merely administrative: it has direct consequences on how electrical dispatch is managed, how infrastructure is planned, and potentially on generation costs that impact consumers and businesses.

What does this regulation establish?

Order TED/624/2026 updates the official definition of isolated electrical systems in the non-peninsular territory of the Canary Islands. Until now, Tenerife and La Gomera were listed as separate systems. With the new 66 kV physical interconnection already operational, the regulation merges them into a single system, as expressly provided for in Royal Decree 738/2015, which regulates the procedure for redefining isolated systems when they are physically connected.

The updated map of the Canary Islands electrical systems is as follows:

The model already has a precedent in the Canary Islands: Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have been operating as a joint system for years. Tenerife and La Gomera now follow that same scheme, supported by a 66 kV physical infrastructure that guarantees supply continuity between both islands.

Economic and operational impact

The integration of two isolated systems into one has concrete operational and economic consequences:

• Electrical dispatch management: By operating as a single system, the operator can optimize which power plants generate at each moment, choosing the most efficient or cheapest available in Tenerife and La Gomera. This can reduce the total generation cost of the joint system.
• Supply security: La Gomera, previously dependent on its own isolated generation, gains backup from Tenerife through the 66 kV interconnection. This reduces the risk of outages due to local failures.
• Infrastructure planning: Distributors and operators must adapt their operation, maintenance and network expansion plans to the new scope of the Tenerife-La Gomera system.
• Generation costs: The regulation explicitly states that integration can reduce generation costs on the affected islands, although it does not quantify the specific amount.
• Regulatory regime: The integrated system is treated as a single unit for purposes of energy planning, access tariffs and settlements of the Canary Islands electrical system.

Who does it affect?

• Electrical system operators in Tenerife and La Gomera: must adapt their dispatch and operation procedures to the new integrated system.
• Distribution companies with networks on both islands: network planning, maintenance plans and regulatory reports must reflect the new scope of the Tenerife-La Gomera system.
• Electrical generators with facilities in Tenerife or La Gomera: their position in the dispatch may be affected by greater competition between power plants on both islands within the same system.
• Large industrial and commercial consumers in La Gomera: may benefit from greater supply stability and, in the medium term, from a potential reduction in generation costs passed on to tariffs.
• Domestic consumers on both islands: the impact is indirect, but better system management can translate into lower generation costs in the settlements of the Canary Islands electrical system.
• Energy advisors and consultants working with clients in the Canary Islands: must update their risk and opportunity analysis for the new joint system.

Practical example

Imagine an industrial company in La Gomera with high electrical consumption that, until now, depended exclusively on local generation on the island. Before April 23, 2026, any failure in the network or power plants in La Gomera could result in supply outages or the need to start emergency generators.

From the effective date of Order TED/624/2026 on July 1, 2026, that company operates within the Tenerife-La Gomera system. If local generation in La Gomera fails, the 66 kV interconnection allows automatic energy import from Tenerife. The practical result: greater supply continuity and less dependence on isolated local generation. In the medium term, if integration reduces the average generation cost of the joint system, that savings can be reflected in the access tariffs applicable to consumers of the new integrated system.

What should companies do now?

1. Review supply contracts and agreements: If your company operates in Tenerife or La Gomera, verify that contracts with distributors and suppliers correctly reflect the new integrated Tenerife-La Gomera system from July 1, 2026.
2. Update regulatory documentation: Operators and distributors must adapt their operation plans, planning reports and documentation to the regulator to the new scope of the system.
3. Review energy contingency plans: Companies with business continuity plans that include electrical outage scenarios in La Gomera should update them, given that there is now backup from Tenerife via the 66 kV interconnection.
4. Monitor the impact on generation costs: Ask your energy advisor for an analysis of how system integration may affect the settlements and tariffs applicable to your company in the coming months.
5. Consult with the regulator if you have generation facilities: Generators on both islands must verify how the new system affects their position in the dispatch and their information obligations to Red Eléctrica.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at 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-2026-13574