Spain has been sending more for months electric to neighboring countries -everyone- in the midst of the energy crisis. Energy exports from the electricity system accelerated their growth last August and marked new historic highs, surpassing the monthly records of the entire historic Red Eléctrica de España series that has counted international electricity exchanges since the beginning of 1990. Never before has so much electricity been sold abroad on any given month in more than thirty years since official data became available.
In August, the Spanish power system exported a total of 2,924 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity to other countries with connections (France, Portugal, Morocco and Andorra). problems to fully guarantee the supply in the French and Portuguese markets.
Last month, Spain imported just 126 GWh all month from its neighbors. level also decreased abnormally. Spain’s export balance also hit a historic record of 2,798 GWh in August, according to records from Red Eléctrica de España (REE), operator of the national electricity system and manager of high-voltage transmission networks.
Interconnection, up to the limit
France has to buy electricity from all the countries it is connected to. closure of more than half of the nuclear power plant due to corrosion problems and danger of overheating (32 out of 56 reactors on the Gallic market are not working). In August, France’s purchases from Spain broke a record with 1,484 GWh, and its net import balance broke a record with 1,451 GWh.
According to REE data, in August the operation of interconnections between the two countries via the Pyrenees was extended to the limit, operating at maximum capacity 99.3% of the hours of the whole month to send electricity to the French market.
Spain also increases its electricity exports to Portugal, reaching a quarter of the Portuguese market’s electricity demand. Portugal, a country highly dependent on the generation of hydroelectric power plants, suffering from the effects of drought and resorting to purchasing electricity from the Spanish market to secure the supply. Exports to Portugal reached 1,122 GWh (with a balance of 1,044 GWh exports) in August, but higher levels were reached in some months this year, with the record breaking in February with purchases of 1,435 GWh (1,373 GWh net balance). .
savings plan
Spain managed to reduce its electricity consumption by 1.2% last month In the first month of the first implementation of the package of State austerity measures, which includes closing shop windows after 10:00 am (with a 3.8% decrease if the impact of different weather and working conditions between years is reduced), pm hours or regulation of the thermostat of public buildings and offices.
Spanish power companies have been strongly increasing the use of gas power plants to generate electricity in recent months due to the decline in hydroelectric production due to drought, lower contribution from renewable sources – more than doubled so far this year – to France due to the shutdown of more than half of their nuclear power plants, as well as due to the drought. It covers increased electricity exports to Portugal.
The extra demand needed by the French and Portuguese markets is met by increased production from combined cycles (plants that burn gas to produce), and the Government may deduct from the calculation of this additional use of gas to meet the energy needs of neighboring countries in case of crisis. 7% savings gas bound to brusselsAs reported by El Periódico de España. For the time being, however, the European Commission leaves the Spanish plan in the air and does not acknowledge that the Executive can use this exception until it determines how to explain the mandatory austerity measures should a state of alarm be declared. EU.
Iberian exception
Record electricity exports to France dampen the positive impact of the Iberian exception, the mechanism by which Spain and Portugal ceiling the price of gas used to generate electricity – which has reached its maximum in recent months due to the Russian invasion. Ukraine – to lower the electricity bill. French consumers benefit from the lower price recorded by the Spanish electricity market, but do not pay the compensation that Spanish and Portuguese customers pay to electricity companies with gas plants. that covers real costs and does not cause loss.
It is emphasized from the PP that the Iberian exemption serves to subsidize the electricity exported to France (more than 500 million by their calculations came into effect in June) and to trigger gas imports from both Russia and Europe. France will meet the extra demand of gas power plants to generate electricity itself.
The government argued that the Iberian exemption worked, emphasizing that in the three months that the Iberian exemption came into effect – it went into effect on 15 June – Spanish consumers saved 2,300m euros as they managed to limit the wholesale market price. electricity, including compensation paid to gas power plants.