New Book Reveals History of Resistance to Electrification in the Canary Islands

The shift toward modern energy in the Canary Islands was far from straightforward. As detailed in La prehistoria del alumbrado y de la electricidad en Canarias—a collection of articles by Antonio Salgado—the arrival of electric light was hindered by commercial interests that used disinformation to protect their existing businesses.

The book, which compiles research originally published in the newspaper El Día, reveals a surprising historical fact: Santa Cruz de Tenerife was not the first place in the archipelago to be electrified. Instead, La Palma led the way in 1893, harnessing the hydraulic power of the Caldera de Taburiente. This early success on a smaller island stood in stark contrast to Santa Cruz, where the economy remained heavily reliant on oil and petroleum.

Salgado, who worked for the utility company Unelco, documents how traditional lighting companies spread rumors about the health risks of electricity to safeguard their market share. While the streets of Santa Cruz were still being lit by hand by lamplighters, electricity was slowly gaining a foothold. Public street lighting finally arrived in the capital in 1897, though private electric lights had already appeared in select spots like the Hotel Camacho and the Casino.

The rollout of electricity across the islands was uneven. While Arucas introduced electric lighting in 1895 and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria followed in 1899, other areas were left waiting for decades; Fuerteventura, for instance, did not receive the service until 1931. In the early days, electricity was often limited to specific hours, with lights frequently turned off around midnight.

Salgado’s research, based on extensive archival work, shows that the simple act of flipping a light switch today is the result of a long, complex struggle against economic resistance and technical challenges.