Theresa Rivera, the Third Vice President and Minister of Ecological Transition, defended the Midcat gas pipeline proposal that would link the Spanish grid with France. In a speech delivered at the Reunió Cercle d’Economia in Barcelona, she emphasized the need for third party financing, framing the project as a matter of European supply security. The message was clear: funding and governance must extend beyond a single nation to safeguard energy resilience across the union.
During a Q&A session led by Cercle president Javier Faus, Rivera outlined a strategy to align the venture with France and to assess the infrastructure’s useful life. The aim would be to ensure the pipeline can eventually carry biogas or green hydrogen as technology and demand evolve, keeping the asset adaptable for future energy mixes.
Rivera noted France’s historical hesitation on the Midcat project, linking the discussion to broader implications for electricity imports from Spain and other EU partners. France had slowed its own nuclear output, complicating interconnection talks, yet Rivera stressed that collaboration on cross-border electricity networks remains essential for both sides as interconnects are developed and upgraded.
She pointed out that interconnections are not just about one country’s needs but about the European marketplace as a whole. The objective is to enable reliable electricity exchanges among EU members, thereby enhancing regional stability and coping with supply disruptions through shared infrastructure rather than isolated national solutions.
Rivera also highlighted the European Union’s ongoing efforts to reduce energy dependency on Russia. She described a coordinated push to diversify suppliers and routes, with a clear intent to replace imports where feasible and to pursue new sources together. The consensus, she argued, is forming around a transition that uses reduced reliance on any single external supplier as a strategic advantage for Europe’s energy security.
Furthermore, the minister underscored that strategic interconnections can drive lower energy costs over time. By broadening access to alternative energy sources and improving market competition, households and industries could experience more stable and potentially lower prices as the regional grid becomes more efficient and less exposed to import price volatility.
The discussion reflected a broader policy thread: interconnected infrastructure, adaptable to evolving energy forms, can support both immediate reliability and long term decarbonization goals. Rivera framed Midcat not merely as a pipeline project but as a potential backbone for future clean energy pathways within the European energy system.
Analysts observing the exchange noted that the dialogue between Spain and France signals a practical willingness to integrate strategic projects into a European-wide energy security framework. The emphasis on financing, lifecycle analysis, and future conversion to sustainable fuels indicates a forward-looking approach that seeks to balance short term technical hurdles with long term climate and security objectives.
In closing remarks, Rivera reaffirmed the aim of reducing exposure to volatile external markets while preserving the reliability of energy supply for households and industries across both nations. The balancing act involves securing financing, coordinating policy, and ensuring that infrastructure can adapt as the energy landscape shifts toward lower emissions and higher resilience. This approach, she suggested, positions Europe to absorb shocks more effectively while expanding opportunities for a cleaner, more affordable energy future for all.