A sum of €292 million (US$ 344 million) in subsidies will be made available under the second round of the so-called Circular Repowering (REPOTEN) aid programme to support the renovation of old wind and hydro facilities, the ministry said in a statement on 26 December.
The REPOTEN 2 scheme is expected to support the modernisation of about 115 MW of hydro capacity and repowering of at least 750 MW of wind capacity while adding around 130 MWh of energy storage. Hybrid storage systems paired with wind or hydro projects will be eligible for support under the new call. Of the total budget, €252 million has been earmarked for wind repowering projects and €40 million for technological and environmental improvement of hydropower facilities, with the possibility of reallocating funds between the wind and hydro modernization programmes should surpluses exist.
The ministry’s implementing agency, IDAE, will manage the programme, financed with EU recovery funds under Spain’s post-pandemic recovery plan, through a competitive tender process. Projects will be assessed on criteria including the level of aid requested, administrative viability, innovation, location in so-called “just transition and demographic challenge” areas and contribution to domestic and European supply chains, the ministry said.
The REPOTEN programme aims to promote greater energy efficiency by replacing older hydro and wind plants with more productive ones. Bids are invited for the modernization of hydro generation equipment and infrastructure and the incorporation of automation systems to boost energy efficiency, as well as the incorporation of environmental improvements, such as open channels for fish migration, ensuring minimum ecological flows and the flow of sediments, as well as territorial integration or protection and restoration of specific habitats.
The ministry estimates that around 1.6 GW of small hydro plants will exceed 25 years of operation by 2030, which could lead to a decrease in output as older facilities get decommissioned, and that between 10 GW and 12 GW of existing wind farms in Spain will need to be dismantled and repowered during this decade.
Successful projects must be completed by 30 June 2030, with a possible extension to the end of 2030.
Bidding documents can be viewed on IDEA’s website. Applications can be submitted between 15 January and 24 February 2026 via the IDEA procurement portal: https://sede.idae.gob.es/.
