Canaries approve diesel emergency power plant in Telde and back local meat

In Telde, Gran Canaria, the company GPM Generación has been granted permission to build a 20-megawatt diesel emergency power plant, according to a decision by the Directorate-General for Energy. In addition, three further decisions are pending, relating to vocational training in the Canary Islands and subsidies for locally produced meat.

The plant is intended to safeguard the island’s electricity supply, but may only operate for a maximum of three years and may only feed electricity into the grid if the security of supply is specifically at risk. The plans include 15 diesel-powered containerised generators, each with a rated output of 1,410 kWe, as well as nine diesel tanks, two AdBlue tanks each holding 28,750 litres, and four transformer stations, each with a capacity of 8 MVA. The plant will be connected to the CINSA substation via a 1,000-metre-long 66-kV power line. The authorisation is published in the Official Journal of the Canary Islands.

The background to this is the energy emergency declared by the Canary Islands Government on 2 October 2023 due to risks to electricity generation. At the time, the system operator identified an additional, short-term demand for electricity on Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote-Fuerteventura. GPM Generación submitted the application on 1 November 2025. During the course of the proceedings, the company amended its proposal to bring it into line with the Silva substation, as well as with a power line it shares with DISA Generación. DISA also received authorisation from the authorities for a temporary emergency power plant in Telde. GPM must apply for commissioning within six months of notification. Prior to this, Edistribución must lay the affected medium-voltage overhead lines underground and dismantle four pylons. The same issue of the Official Gazette also contains guidelines for vocational school curricula and funding for meat from the islands.

Canary Islands: Vocational training receives timetables for six specialist areas

The Deputy Ministry for Vocational Training and Qualifications sets binding requirements for the number of hours and the modules that make up Level C certificates and the associated Level B competence certificates at Level 1. These requirements are to apply to all vocational training centres in the Canary Islands, specifically in the fields of administration, agriculture, IT, woodworking and furniture making, construction, and electrical and electronic engineering.

The certificates, which are tailored to the economic sectors and educational centres, are to be introduced on a standardised basis. Only basic vocational training courses offered on the islands will be included. The Directorate-General for Vocational Training and Special Education had already determined the number of hours for the modules on 30 October 2024. It is now planning the provision of these courses in state schools, whilst the Education Inspectorate advises school management and monitors compliance. Those interested can view the decision here.

Almost 2.7 million euros for meat produced in the Canary Islands

For the 2026 campaign, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty is making a total of 2,685,520 euros available from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund. Funding is available for fresh beef, pork, rabbit, goat, sheep and chicken meat produced locally, as part of the programme to support agricultural production in the Canary Islands. Owners of carcasses are eligible to apply once the carcasses have left the abattoir. Applications will be accepted from 15 to 31 January 2027, exclusively via the Canary Islands‘ online administration system.

Pork accounts for the largest share, at 1,392,000 euros. This is followed by goat and sheep meat at 660,000 euros, beef at 300,000 euros, chicken and hen meat at 287,020 euros, and rabbit meat at 46,500 euros. Per tonne of carcass weight, the government pays 300 euros for pork, rabbit, goat and sheep; 144 euros for beef; and 96 euros for chicken and hen meat. In addition, there is a payment of 8.40 euros per goat slaughtered and 22.80 euros per animal of the Canary Islands hairy sheep breed. For other sheep, the text states 28.80 euros, although the figure in brackets after it is 22.80 euros. The conditions can be found here.

Canary Islands: Vocational training now covers seven further occupational fields

In a second resolution, the Deputy Ministry also sets out the number of hours and modules for seven further vocational sectors, again at Level 1. These are sport and physical activities, retail and marketing, personal care, installation and maintenance, the food industry, textiles, clothing and leather, and transport and vehicle maintenance.

The training programmes range from assisting in sports facilities, through retail, hairdressing and plumbing, to food processing, textile repair and the maintenance of vehicles and boats. The number of hours for individual modules had already been set by earlier Canary Islands resolutions from 2024 and 2025. School heads must communicate these guidelines to the school community. The full text is available here.