Grid's access bids announced for 8 transmission nodes and 3,681 megawatts of power capacity
In a significant move towards strengthening Spain's electricity transmission and distribution grids, the Secretary of State for Energy has launched the first demand tender for access to the grid. This initiative is aimed at operationalizing key regulatory changes introduced by Royal Decree-Law 8/2023, which seeks to enhance system resilience, accelerate renewable energy integration, and improve grid management and access mechanisms.
The tender mechanism allows market participants to request and obtain firm access rights to the grid, structuring and prioritizing grid connection capacity based on demand. This move is expected to enhance transparency and predictability in grid access allocation, facilitating the accelerated deployment of renewable and storage projects by securing necessary grid access.
Key changes in the regulatory framework include strengthened grid oversight and compliance, improved grid operation and technical regulations, facilitating renewable energy deployment and storage, market participation and flexibility tools, digital transformation and data access, encouragement of fast-response resources, and repowering of existing renewable plants.
The tender affects eight nodes of the transmission grid with a total available capacity of 3,681 MW. The nodes included in this call are located in six autonomous communities - Andalusia, Galicia, Castilla-La Mancha, Aragon, Catalonia, and the Basque Country. The nodes in Andalusia are Cristóbal Colón (Huelva, 503 MW) and Palos (Huelva, 277 MW), while the node in Galicia is Nuevo Vigo (Vigo, 182 MW). The node in Castilla-La Mancha is Brazatortas (Ciudad Real, 1,217 MW), and the node in Aragon is Terrer (Zaragoza, 410 MW). The node in Catalonia is Francolí (Tarragona, 216 MW), and the nodes in the Basque Country are Arrigorriaga (Vizcaya, 993 MW) and Mercedes Benz (Álava, 387 MW).
Applicants have a period of fifteen days to withdraw their applications for access and connection, as well as to adjust the requested access capacity. They must submit the technical and financial administrative documentation in accordance with the terms set out in Annex V of the tender Resolution. The allocation of capacity must be decided within a maximum period of six months from the call for tenders.
The guarantees provided will be returned if the applicant is excluded from the tender and, where applicable, must be adjusted if the access capacity finally awarded is lower than that requested. These guarantees are in addition to the financial guarantees required for the processing of the procedures for access and connection of demand and storage facilities.
This tender marks a critical step in implementing the Royal Decree-Law’s goals by creating a formal, competitive process for grid access aligned with system needs and resilience objectives. The aim is to create a more resilient, flexible, and renewable-friendly electricity grid in Spain, addressing vulnerabilities revealed by recent blackouts and aligning with the country’s energy transition goals.
[1] Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico, "Real Decreto-ley 8/2023, de 27 de diciembre, de medidas urgentes para la reordenación de la energía eléctrica y la transformación energética," Boletín Oficial del Estado, 29 de diciembre de 2023. [2] Red Eléctrica de España, "Informe Anual 2024," 2025. [3] Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia, "Resumen Ejecutivo de la Actividad 2024," 2025.
- The demand tender launched by the Secretary of State for Energy in Spain is aimed at accelerating renewable energy integration and enhancing system resilience, which is a part of the goals set by the Royal Decree-Law 8/2023.
- The tender, which affects eight nodes in six autonomous communities, provides market participants with firm access rights to the grid, promoting transparency and predictability, and facilitating the deployment of renewable and storage projects.
- Key changes in the regulatory framework include strengthened grid oversight, improved grid operation and technical regulations, and encouragement of fast-response resources, all of which are designed to make the electricity grid in Spain more resilient, flexible, and renewable-friendly.
- Applicants have a period of fifteen days to adjust their requested access capacity and must submit the necessary technical and financial documentation. The allocation of capacity must be decided within six months from the call for tenders.
- This tender is a critical step in the implementation of the Royal Decree-Law’s goals, and it aligns with the country’s energy transition objectives, addressing vulnerabilities revealed by recent blackouts. The process will be closely monitored by various regulatory bodies including the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Red Eléctrica de España, and the National Commission of Markets and Competition.
