125 years making history
The story of an energy that travels relentlessly
through time to transform the world
Period
125 years making history
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1901
Hidroeléctrica Ibérica is founded
with the aim of meeting the growing demand for electricity in the main industrial regions of northern Spain through concessions on the River Ebro. The company was incorporated on 19 July 1901 with a capital of 20 million pesetas (around €120,000).
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1907
Hidroeléctrica Española (also known as Hidrola) is established
with the aim of supplying the Madrid and Valencia markets following the transfer by Hidroeléctrica Ibérica of its concessions on the Tagus River and the Salto del Molinar dam on the River Júcar.
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1909
Hidroeléctrica Española creates Electra de Madrid to distribute electricity in the Spanish capital
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1918
Saltos del Duero is founded under the name Sociedad Hispano-Portuguesa de Transportes Eléctricos
The company is established with the aim of developing the comprehensive use of the River Duero and will be a pioneer in the development of innovation projects.
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1935
Spain and Portugal inaugurate the Ricobayo dam, the first large hydroelectric project in Spain and one of the largest in Europe at the time
An international treaty between Spain and Portugal for the hydroelectric exploitation of the River Duero and its tributaries made its creation possible
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1944
Iberduero is created as a result of the merger of Saltos del Duero and Hidroeléctrica Ibérica
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1964
Inauguration of the Aldeadávila dam in Salamanca, on the River Duero
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1970
La Almendra dam, built on the Tormes River between the provinces of Salamanca and Zamora, is inaugurated
Also known as the Villarino dam due to the power station located there, it was the highest in Spain at the time.
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1981
Hidroeléctrica Española. The first unit of the Almaraz nuclear power plant (Cáceres)
Spain’s first second-generation nuclear power plant, begins commercial operation.
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1990
ScottishPower is formed as part of the privatisation of the electricity sector in the United Kingdom
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1992
Iberdrola is created as a result of the merger of Iberduero and Hidroeléctrica Española under the chairmanship of Íñigo de Oriol e Ybarra
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1997
Creation of Neoenergia, initially under the name Guaraniana, and the securing of the first distribution concession in the state of Bahia (Coelba)
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1998
Energy East is created, which will later become the seed of what is now Avangrid, following the merger of six companies in the US
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1999
Inauguration of the Dulces Nombres power plant in Nuevo León, Iberdrola’s first in Mexico
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2001
Ignacio S. Galán joins the company as Executive Chairman
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2001
Iberdrola approves its Strategic Plan 2001-2006, with the slogan «x2+»
The plan seeks to double the size of the company in just five years thanks to growth in Spain and the drive for internationalisation.
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2005
The Maranchón wind farm, the largest in Spain at the time, is commissioned
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2006
Ignacio S. Galán is appointed Executive Chairman of Iberdrola. He is subsequently re-elected by a large majority at the General Shareholders’ Meetings in 2010, 2015, 2019 and 2023
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2006
Iberdrola launches the STAR Project to digitise the distribution network in Spain with the installation of more than 11 million smart meters
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2006
Ignacio Galán receives the CEO of the Year award from Platts
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2007
Integration of ScottishPower in the United Kingdom
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2007
Integration of Energy East in the United States
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2008
Acquisition of 100% of the wind power operator Rokas in Greece
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2009
Whitelee wind farm, the largest in Europe at the time, opens in Scotland
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2009
FTSE4Good index includes Iberdrola, which recognises the world’s most sustainable companies
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2011
Iberdrola integrates the Brazilian company Elektro, which distributes electricity in the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso
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2011
Iberdrola and QIA (Qatar Investment Authority) sign a strategic alliance
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2013
Iberdrola is the only Spanish company selected in the Ethisphere Institute’s World’s Most Ethical Companies ranking
Since then it has been selected for 12 consecutive years
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2014
West of Duddon Sands in the Irish Sea (United Kingdom), Iberdrola’s first offshore wind farm, begins operating
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2014
Inauguration of the Maine MPRP high-voltage transmission line, connecting the United States and Canada
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2015
Avangrid is created from the merger of Iberdrola USA and UIL Holdings. The company begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange
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2016
Iberdrola begins its commitment to women’s sport in Spain
Which is reinforced over the years to reach 35 sports federations and more than 800,000 athletes.
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2016
Iberdrola launches the Iberdrola Innovation Middle East centre in Doha (Qatar)
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2017
The company reaches 10 million digitised supply points in Spain
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2017
Merger of Neoenergia and Elektro in Brazil
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2017
Iberdrola announces the closure of all its coal-fired power plants worldwide
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2017
Start of operations at the Wikinger offshore wind farm in Germany
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2018
Commissioning of Western Link, the world’s longest submarine interconnection at the time
linking the west coast of Scotland and the border between Wales and England via an underground cable of approximately 420 km, of which approximately 385 km are submarine
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2020
Iberdrola enters the Australian market with the purchase of Infigen Energy
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2021
Iberdrola inaugurates the Global Smartgrid Innovation Hub in Bilbao, a global centre for smart grid innovation
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2021
Inauguration of Iberdrola’s Innovation and Training Campus in San Agustín del Guadalix (Madrid) in the presence of His Majesty King Felipe VI
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2022
Inauguration of the Támega Gigabattery in Portugal, the largest clean energy project in the country’s history
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2022
Start of construction of the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom, with a capacity of 1,400 MW
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2022
The European Commission recognised Iberdrola for the first time as the world’s leading private utility in terms of investment in Innovation and Development
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2023
Iberdrola names its Larraskitu complex the José Ignacio Berroeta Corporate Centre
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2024
Iberdrola restores electricity supply after flooding caused by torrential rains in Valencia and deploys its volunteers in the area. It will subsequently launch the il-lumina plan for the full reconstruction and redesign of the affected electrical networks
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2024
Iberdrola acquires the UK distributor ENW for €5 billion, becoming one of the two largest operators of electrical networks in the country
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2024
Iberdrola takes 100% control of Avangrid after acquiring the 18.4% that was listed on the stock exchange
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2025
Iberdrola increases its capital by €5 billion
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2025
Iberdrola agrees the sale of businesses in Mexico for $4.2bn
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2025
Iberdrola presents its Strategic Plan 2025-2028, with record investments of €58 billion
to accelerate its growth in networks in the United States and the United Kingdom.
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2026
Iberdrola reaches €125 billion in market capitalisation, coinciding with its 125th anniversary
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