The gas company will invest around 250 million euros in the project.

The facility will create between 500 and 800 jobs during its construction and 35 permanent jobs, in addition to 100 indirect jobs once it becomes operational.

GAS NATURAL has begun construction work on the Campanillas combined cycle power generating facility, planning permission for the works having been granted by the Malaga City Council.

The project, which now has all the required permits and authorisations, and which will begin operating in summer 2009, involves a planned investment of around 250 million euros. Between 500 and 800 jobs during construction and 35 permanent jobs will be created, in addition to 100 indirect jobs once it becomes operational.

The power plant will have a generating potential of 400 MW and will be 60% energy efficient, a much higher figure than for conventional power facilities. It will enable power to be supplied to almost one million people in the Malaga area.

This investment is essential to ensure the reliability of power supplies to the Costa del Sol in the coming years.

An environmentally-friendly generating system

The main environmental benefit of combined cycle units comes from reducing the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere, at the same time as using resources more efficiently. They use modern, efficient technology, based on natural gas, one of the most environmentally-friendly sources of energy and the cleanest of the fossil fuels.

Furthermore, for this project in Malaga, GAS NATURAL will carry out a major environmental project specifically aimed at minimising the visual impact of the facility.

GAS NATURAL's main activities are the supply, distribution and sale of natural gas in Spain, Latin America, Italy and France, where it has 11 million customers, and it is also a major operator in the electricity generation and sales business in Spain, and in the sale of other energy products and services.

Biggest growing Spanish utility in share of power generation market

In addition to the combined cycle plant now under construction in Malaga, GAS NATURAL currently has 6,500 MW of installed generating potential in combined cycle plants worldwide, with 3,600 in Spain and 2,500 abroad. The company has a further 1,600 MW in the planning stage or under construction in Spain.

GAS NATURAL operates in Malaga through its distribution company Gas Natural Andalucía, which currently has over 600 kilometres of distribution network supplying gas to the domestic and commercial market in the area. The company has almost 70,000 customers in the province, allowing some 280,000 users to enjoy the benefits of this source of energy.

In the province of Malaga, the company supplies natural gas to, among others, the municipalities of Malaga, Antequera, Mijas, Benalmádena, Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Rincón de la Victoria and Vélez-Málaga.