PEUSA celebrates its centenary this year, firmly established as a leading energy services provider in the Catalan Pyrenees. In this interview with CEEC, its CEO, Marcel Dorna, reflects on the company's deep connection to the region, tracing its origins as a pioneering cooperative supplying energy through hydroelectric plants. Dorna also examines the company’s present position and outlines its journey towards becoming a comprehensive 360-degree energy enterprise, focusing on generation, distribution, and commercialisation, now complemented by installation services spearheaded by the company’s newly developed services division.
PEUSA Celebrates 100 Years as a Leading Energy Provider in the Catalan Pyrenees
This year, PEUSA marks its centenary, standing as a benchmark energy services company in the Catalan Pyrenees. In this interview with CEEC, Marcel Dorna, the CEO, reflects on the company’s deep-rooted connection to the region, tracing its origins as a pioneering cooperative supplying energy through hydroelectric plants. Dorna also examines the company’s present challenges and outlines its vision of becoming a comprehensive 360º energy provider, focusing on generation, distribution, commercialisation, and a growing installation sector led by its new services division.
This year, you celebrate the centenary of the company—a historic milestone. How do you reflect on PEUSA’s journey so far?
The celebration of PEUSA’s centenary fills us with pride and brings the challenge of continuing to serve our clients with the same level of quality and commitment that has defined our history. We consider ourselves heirs to the vision of a group of residents from La Seu d’Urgell, who, in 1925, established the original cooperative that evolved into the company we are today. Their goal was to ensure fair and reliable electricity supply for their community. This founding ethos, rooted in a responsible service-driven approach, remains the cornerstone of PEUSA’s operations.
Over the years, we have invested in renewable energy generation and electricity distribution infrastructure, enabling us to provide high-quality services powered by clean, environmentally sustainable technologies. Our investment and management strategies align with today’s objectives of ecological and energy transition, a movement in which we are proud to play an active role.
PEUSA’s beginnings were marked by hydroelectric power generation. What role do hydroelectric plants currently play in your business?
Like many initial efforts to electrify the region, PEUSA’s origins lie in hydroelectric power. Our journey began with hydroelectric plants constructed in the late 19th century around La Seu d’Urgell.
Today, the company operates three hydroelectric plants along the Valira River, producing approximately 60% of the energy we supply. Since these facilities are located within the same region where we distribute and commercialise energy, we can confidently state that most of PEUSA’s energy is renewable and locally sourced.
Beyond their conceptual value in terms of sustainability, these plants are critical to our business model. They enable us to balance generation and commercialisation activities, forming an essential pillar of the company’s financial stability.
Beyond hydroelectric power, which renewable energy sources are gaining prominence in your portfolio?
We are exploring various projects involving photovoltaic and wind technologies to expand our portfolio of renewable assets. However, we have yet to materialise any of these plans. We hope that, in the medium term, some of these initiatives will come to fruition, thereby increasing PEUSA’s generation capacity.
The company remains committed to electricity distribution, with 12,500 supply points in the region. What are your short- and medium-term goals in this area?
Our primary goal in distribution is to ensure a secure and high-quality electricity supply while integrating our infrastructure harmoniously into the local environment.
The ecological transition brings significant changes to the electrical system, including the growth of distributed generation, electric mobility, and new approaches to energy access and management through self-consumption. This evolution requires the distribution network to adapt to these emerging realities.
We aim to incorporate advanced technologies for active network management while reinforcing existing infrastructure to facilitate access to new energy resources.
What challenges do you foresee for energy distribution in the coming years?
Electricity distribution lies at the heart of the new energy model driven by the ecological transition, which seeks to replace fossil fuels with renewable electricity generation. This shift is encapsulated in the concept of “electrifying the economy,” aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.
In practice, this means most energy consumption will shift to electricity, making distribution networks the critical infrastructure to supply this demand. Significant investments will be required to equip the grid with the capacity to meet these new demands.
It is also worth noting that distribution is a regulated activity. Its revenue is determined by policies from the Ministry for Ecological Transition, as implemented by the National Commission on Markets and Competition. We hope these policies will provide the necessary regulatory framework to enable secure investments.
The rise of self-consumption and prosumer roles is reshaping the energy sector. How is PEUSA adapting?
As mentioned earlier, our priority is to provide high-quality services to our clients. The transformation of consumers into “prosumers” represents a genuine paradigm shift, requiring us to evolve our service model. Consumers now actively manage their energy needs through self-consumption and smart storage systems.
For over six years, we have been offering customised photovoltaic self-consumption systems and energy management solutions. We also complement these services with tariffs that compensate for surplus energy, allowing consumers to offset it across various contracts.
Recently, PEUSA partnered with a local installer to offer energy efficiency services. What does this collaboration entail?
To strengthen our position in the new energy services market, we recently partnered with a seasoned installation company in the Alt Urgell region. This firm brings extensive experience in self-consumption systems, aerothermal technology, and energy efficiency.
This collaboration marks the beginning of a new phase, enabling us to meet our clients’ energy needs through efficient and innovative solutions. In January, we will unveil a refreshed PEUSA brand image and a new motto, underscoring our commitment to enhancing people’s well-being.
How important is technological innovation to your services and operational improvements?
As an energy services company, technological innovation is a vital component of our activities. We are part of a European consortium developing a demand management system that integrates surplus energy from collective photovoltaic installations with battery storage systems connected to low-voltage distribution networks.
While this initiative focuses on client services, we are also exploring technologies for digitalising distribution networks and managing connected renewable generation.
What technologies do you consider crucial for PEUSA’s future?
Artificial intelligence stands out as a key technology for our sector. The energy industry’s evolution demands real-time, automated grid management, requiring advanced tools to process large datasets effectively.
This transformation will also rely on robust telecommunications infrastructure with real-time response capabilities. Innovations in telecommunications will therefore be pivotal.
Additionally, cybersecurity is essential for safeguarding our systems, ensuring energy supply, and protecting the privacy of the data we manage.
You have a wide network of electric vehicle charging points. How do you assess progress and challenges in this area?
We installed our first charging point in 2016. Eight years later, electric mobility has yet to gain significant traction in our region. The main barriers are vehicle costs and a limited public charging network.
We remain committed to sustainable mobility, which we see as a cornerstone of decarbonisation efforts. However, we believe bold public policies are needed, including financial incentives to make electric vehicles more accessible and investments in charging infrastructure.
Sustainability is central to PEUSA. What concrete steps have you taken to minimise your environmental impact?
We are acutely aware of the environmental impact of our energy generation and distribution infrastructure. We take great care during construction and maintenance to minimise disruption to natural spaces and local activities.
For example, we are implementing a plan to improve the insulation of medium-voltage overhead lines to protect birdlife. This includes upgrading sections of lines in areas prone to incidents.
What role does PEUSA play in local employment?
PEUSA provides stable, high-quality employment in a technological work environment that fosters personal and professional growth. Our group currently employs 70 people.
What is PEUSA’s vision for its role in the region in the coming years?
Our aim is to establish PEUSA as the leading energy services provider in the Catalan Pyrenees, offering high-quality services that create a positive impact for both people and the region.
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