Giant wind turbines are edging closer to Asturias’ heartlands. A Madrid-based company, Aratel Energías Renovables, is moving forward with a 220-meter turbine installation in the Salas mountains near Pravia, echoing the scale of the Aboño thermal plant’s tallest structures. These are among the region’s highest construction projects, with crews preparing for works near Cudillero and beyond.
Across Asturias, there are 24 wind farms housing 531 turbines spread through the western and southwestern districts, where wind resources are strong and regulatory frameworks are increasingly pragmatic for development. The energy transition has accelerated with the closure of the Lada and Soto de la Barca coal plants, triggering a surge in renewable initiatives. The Principality currently hosts between 301 and 52 wind farms towers. New projects showcase onshore turbines reaching unprecedented heights and blade spans, often exceeding 200 meters. Previously, such mega-turbines were imagined further from urban centers, but growth in the western zones—where land is optimally suited—is reshaping planning. This momentum pushes new proposals toward the central regions as authorities refine regional wind-farm guidelines for the long term.
eight mills
On the fringe of the area identified as high-wind capacity, AMR 2 Energías Renovables, backed by Grupo Corporativo Arrate and Maetel, has developed a park named IEP-Pravia. It comprises eight generators rated at six megawatts each, a current ceiling for onshore wind production in the market. Each turbine will stand 135 meters tall, with rotor diameters of 170 meters. From base to blade tip, the full height reaches about 220 meters—roughly three times the height of the Oviedo cathedral tower.
The project sits at an elevation between 500 and 700 meters above sea level, spanning the Pumar and Villarín mountain ranges. Turbines will cluster between the Andolinas peak and the Candanéu peak. The eight turbines will connect via an underground link, with power routed through a double-circuit high-voltage line extending over 6.5 kilometers to a new substation feeding an existing Pravia substation. This infrastructure plan emphasizes the region’s integration with the broader grid while maintaining local environmental considerations.
The IEP-Pravia wind farm cleared the competitive selection process, and the Principality has published its first environmental impact assessment for public information. Through 2022, several wind farms advanced through competitive selection and commenced development, including La Artosa, Sierra de Busto, La Cogocha, Mouxada, and Rebustiello.
access to networks
Most ongoing wind projects in Asturias have secured permissions to access the electricity transmission networks. Data from Red Eléctrica de España, as of mid-2022, show more than 1,000 megawatts of wind capacity with network access, with around 700 megawatts already in service and another 400 megawatts under management. The regional government has underscored a goal to close the 2,200-megawatt gap left by coal plant retirements through renewable expansion, though views vary on the pace and method. Wind projects must pass environmental guarantees, and some initiatives have faced criticism from local communities and environmental groups who argue that cumulative impacts of wind farms in the western areas require more thorough consideration. (Cited: regional energy authorities and environmental watchdog reports, 2022–2024)