Spain’s electricity grid has lost almost 2.8 GW of available capacity in two months, raising substation saturation to 85.7% and leaving more than 5,200 facilities without spare capacity, a new analysis shows.
Spain’s electricity grid is under increasing pressure after losing almost 2.8 GW of available capacity in just two months, pushing overall saturation to 85.7%, according to the latest update of a survey by the Industry and Energy Forum and consultancy Opina 360.
The study, based on data as of December 1, 2025, assessed 6,108 substations operated by Spain’s 29 main electricity distributors, covering approximately 97% of national supply points. It showed that the share of substations without available capacity rose to 85.7% from 82.4% in October, leaving 5,235 facilities fully saturated.
In terms of capacity, available power fell from just over 10 GW to 7,363 MW, indicating that rising electricity demand due to electrification and new industrial projects is outpacing grid reinforcement.
The northern and central regions are experiencing the most acute structural saturation. The Basque Country recorded the highest level with 99.8%, followed by Navarra and La Rioja with 99.2%. At provincial level, eight provinces are fully saturated: Almería, Málaga, Zaragoza, Albacete, Guadalajara, Salamanca, Álava and Biscay, effectively blocking new grid connections for technical reasons.
Only six provinces retain more than 50% of the available substation capacity: the Balearic Islands, Ourense, Pontevedra, Las Palmas, Asturias and Lugo. However, the report warns that some of this apparent surplus is limited by technical limitations or dependent on ongoing transmission upgrades.
In absolute terms, Galicia has the largest volume of available capacity with 1,720.8 MW, followed by Catalonia with 1,024 MW and Andalusia with 870.5 MW. The analysis highlights the mismatch between capacity availability and industrial demand, especially in Barcelona, where much of the remaining capacity is located in older urban areas that are poorly suited to current industrial needs.
Overall, the research points to a rapid depletion of network capacity across the country. Regions including Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Castilla-La Mancha recorded a sharp increase in saturation over the two-month period, while almost all regions saw a net loss of available substation capacity.
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