Big investment to ease strain on Alcudia plant

The Gas and Electricity Board (GESA) yesterday announced a series of investments to ease the strain on the Es Murterar power plant, on the outskirts of Alcudia. GESA, heavily criticised for the power failures at the start of the summer, intends to spend an estimated 150 million pounds (30'000 million pesetas) on two new power generators. One will probably be set up at Son Reus, on the outskirts of Palma which is also home to the rubbish incinerator, and the other in Ibiza. The two generators should be functioning by next summer when demand for power naturally rises due to the tourist industry. But according to GESA this is just the tip of the iceberg. A further 25'000 million peseta investment is planned to increase the electrical output in the Balearics by 60 percent. Initially the two generators will be diesel fired but they can be converted to use gas. GESA is looking at the possibility of shipping natural gas from the mainland. Breakdowns at the Es Murterar power station in June caused public outrage and many local businesses are taking legal action against the power supplier because they were unable to function during the power-cuts and lost many millions of pesetas. The local government is also planning to fine GESA after a report was commissioned which accused the electricity company of negligence and of failing to invest enough money in its plants to cope with the Balearics' power needs.