We have completed the construction of the replacement section to feed a beach resort on the island of Tavira. The work involved laying a specially manufactured low-voltage submarine cable in the town of Cabanas de Tavira. The cable was laid along the Ria Formosa canal using a reel mounted on a platform barge and stabilised on the bed of the estuary using concrete chains, specially designed and dimensioned to have the least possible hydrodynamic impact on the movement of the tides.
In full operation, the investment in this work is around 120,000 euros and guarantees the power supply to replace the generator, which has been in operation since the start of the 2023 bathing season. It was replaced due to the failure of the old power cable, which meant that diesel had to be supplied daily using boats and car transport.
In total, around 29,000 litres of fuel were consumed, equivalent to around 48,000 euros, complying with all the safety standards required for a protected and highly sensitive area such as the Ria Formosa.
In view of all this, the various organisations with jurisdiction over the Ria Formosa area and its surroundings - ICNF, APA, Autoridade Marítima, Câmara Municipal de Tavira, - were contacted to ensure a consensual and technically viable solution to this challenge. An environmental impact study was also carried out involving the ICNF and CCMAR - Universidade do Algarve, taking into account the preservation of the marine prairie, shelter and nursery for several unique species of fauna and flora that have legal protection status in Portugal.
