Electricity sector in Spain

Evolution of the electrical production in Spain in TWh (1980-2020)

Barcelona power station

Aldeadávila Dam

Electricity consumption increased over many years until 2008. However, in 2023 Spain consumed 244,686 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, a 2.3% decline from 2022. ^[1]

In 2008, Spain consumed 88% of the average electricity consumption for a European Union 15 country. In 2009, Spain exported about 3% of the electricity it produced. The volume of renewable electricity produced in 2009 was 5% greater than in 2004, and accounted for about 26% of the electricity consumption.

In 2023, renewable energy sources accounted for a record share of the electricity generated in Spain at 50.4%. ^[1] In the same year, wind farms overtook gas plants as the main source of electricity generation. Gas plants experienced a decline in share from 24% in 2022 to 17% in 2023. ^[1]

Electricity per person and by power source

In 2008, Spanish electricity consumption was an average of 6,523 kWh/person. Spanish electricity usage constituted 88% of the EU15 average (EU15: 7,409 kWh/person), and 73% of the OECD average (8,991 kWh/person). ^[2] While the amount of nuclear power remained steady at about 50 TWh/year, its share declined notably between 2004 and 2005 as consumption increased. The volume of nuclear power per person has declined consistently during 2004–2009.

Electricity pro person in Spain (kWh/ hab.) [2]
	Use	Production	Export	Exp. %	Fossil	Nuclear	Nuc.  %	Other RE	Bio+waste	Wind	Non RE use*	RE  %
2004	6,489	6,559	−70	−1.1 %	3,739	1,490	23.0%	1,174	157		5,158	20.5%
2005	6,744	6,776	−32	−0.5%	4,244	1,326	19,7%	1,135	71		5,538	17.9%
2006	6,734	6,862	−128	−1.9 %	4,208	1,234	18.3%	1,305	115		5,314	21.1%
2008	6,523	6,764	−241	−3.7 %	4,066	1,286	19,7%	1,318	94		5,111	21.6%
2009	6,145	6,320	−176	−2.9 %	3,582	1,143	18.6%	707*	91	794*	4,553	25.9%
* Other RE is waterpower, solar and geothermal electricity and wind power until 2008 * Non RE use = use − production of renewable electricity * RE % = (production of RE / use) * 100% Note: European Union calculates the share of renewable energies in gross electrical consumption.

Mode of production

External images
Today's demand and production (Flash)
Today's production by type

According to IEA the electricity use (gross production + imports − exports − transmission/distribution losses) in Spain was in 2004 253 TWh, (2007) 282 TWh and (2008) 288 TWh, while the use was in 2008 in France 494 TWh and Germany 587 TWh. ^[3]

Electricity production from natural gas in 2008 was in Spain 122 TWh, exceeded in Europe only by Russia 495 TWh, United Kingdom 177 TWh and Italy 173 TWh. ^[4] By 2025, Spain had 6.3 GW hydropower, 7.3 GW of hydro storage and 60 MW batteries. ^[5]

Transmission

External images
2004 High voltage grid of Spain and Portugal Archive
Collection of current grid maps

Red Eléctrica de España operates around 20,000 km each of 400kV and 220kV power lines. ^[6]

Spain is technically part of the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe. However, in 2014, Spain had an electricity interconnection level (international transmission capacity relative to production capacity) of 2% (below the recommended 10% level), ^[7] effectively islanding the Iberian Peninsula. ^[8] Spain only connects with Portugal,Morocco and France. As such, the Iberian grid has 3 GW of interconnection.

The 600/900 MW Spain-Morocco interconnection has operated for decades.

The 2 GW HVDC INELEF powerline between Spain and France was opened in 2015. ^[9]

Renewable energy in Spain

Andasol is the first parabolic trough power plant in Europe, and Andasol 1 went online in March 2009. Because of the high altitude (1,100 m) and the semi-arid climate, the site has exceptionally high annual direct insolation of 2,200 kWh/m per year.

See also: Renewable energy in Spain, Wind power in Spain, and Solar power in Spain

In 2009 Spain produced 13% wind power compare to the use of electricity (794/ 6,145) ^[10] The wind capacity installed at end 2010 will, in a normal wind year, produce 14.4% of electricity, when the equivalent value for Germany is 9.4%, Portugal 14% and Denmark 24%. ^[11]

Power stations

See also: List of power stations in Spain

See also

• Energy in Spain

References

1. Lombardi, Pietro (2024-01-04). "Spain's electricity demand drops for second year in a row".
2. Energy in Sweden, Facts and figures, The Swedish Energy Agency, (in Swedish: Energiläget i siffror), Table: Specific electricity production per inhabitant with breakdown by power source (kWh/person), Source: IEA/OECD 2006 T23 Archived July 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine , 2007 T25 Archived July 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine , 2008 T26 Archived July 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine , 2009 T25 Archived January 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine and 2010 T49 Archived October 16, 2013, at the Wayback Machine .
3. IEA Key stats 2010 pages 50 and 56
4. IEA Key stats 2010 pages 25
5. "Backup power for Europe - part 4: Spain's BESS market is heating up - Rabobank". Rabobank. 25 April 2025.
6. "Grid manager and transmission agent". www.ree.es. Red Eléctrica de España . Retrieved 5 August 2017.
7. COM/2015/082 final: "Achieving the 10% electricity interconnection target" Text PDF page 2-5. European Commission , 25 February 2015. Archive Mirror
8. "Strengthening interconnections - The Iberian Peninsula, an "electrical island"". Red Eléctrica de España . www.ree.es. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
9. "Crossing Mountains to Connect Two Countries". TD world. 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
10. Energy in Sweden 2010, table: Specific electricity production per inhabitant with breakdown by power source Table 49 Archived October 16, 2013, at the Wayback Machine .
11. Wind in power 2010 European statistics Archived 2011-04-07 at the Wayback Machine EWEA February 2011 page 11