REN mobilises 250 people to repair infrastructure affected by storm Kristin

REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais is currently carrying out a large-scale operation to repair infrastructure damaged by the Kristin storm, mobilising around 250 workers and 50 heavy vehicles across all fronts. As part of the recovery plan, priorities have been set, including the work needed to restore, first and foremost, the infrastructure essential for the normal functioning of the National Electricity System (SEN).

As part of the work in progress, all cables that were over houses have already been removed. Additional protections have also been installed on ERedes and Refer lines which, due to their operational importance, cannot be disconnected.

Despite the extent of the damage, the preventive operations carried out before the arrival of the storm ensured the normal supply of the SEN. There were no interruptions attributable to the infrastructure operated by REN, with the exception of localised cuts in the area of the Zêzere Substation, which was partially destroyed.

Since the early hours, the various areas of the company have been fully committed to the complete recovery of all affected infrastructure, in coordination with E-Redes, the Spanish Electricity Network, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority and other relevant authorities, namely government authorities. The total replacement of the poles is only expected to take place in a few weeks, according to a plan already drawn up that involved the reallocation of all available teams to the work now considered a priority.

The Kristin depression, which crossed Portugal in the early hours of 27 January, affected a total of 101 very high voltage pylons, either knocking them down or seriously damaging them, and left 774 kilometres of the National Electricity Transmission Network out of operation.