Spain continues to push electricity exports higher as it reports new records amid today’s energy pressures. The Spanish electricity system has been sending more power to neighboring countries for months, and in September it reached a fresh historical high for the second consecutive month, surpassing the entire thirty year plus series of Red Eléctrica de España (REE). The data spans from the early 1990s onward.
In September, Spain exported a total of 3,056 gigawatt hours to neighboring countries connected by interties, including France, Portugal, Morocco and Andorra. This new record follows August’s 2,924 GWh and reflects a period where many nuclear plants were shut down for maintenance and where France and Portugal faced gaps in supply due to drought and hydroelectric production limitations. The drought constrained hydroelectric stations and affected energy availability across the region.
During the same month, Spain imported a modest 179 GWh from its neighbors, underscoring an overall export surplus that also set a historical high with 2,877 GWh of net exports, surpassing August’s 2,798 GWh. These figures come from the latest REE monthly bulletin, the operator of the national electricity system and manager of high voltage transmission networks, which monitors the flow of power across borders and inside the grid.
Connection with France to the border
France relies on electricity from multiple neighboring countries as more than half of its nuclear capacity was offline due to maintenance, corrosion concerns, and overheating risks. In September, purchases from Spain rose to a new record of 1,763 GWh, with a net import balance of 1,752 GWh. REE data show that the interconnection between Spain and France operated at near full capacity across the Pyrenees, maintaining high throughput throughout the month and sending consistent power to the French market. This pattern reflects the broader European effort to stabilize energy supply amid nuclear outages and hydrological variability.
Spain’s electricity flows into France illustrate the reliability of cross border links when domestic generation is constrained. The interconnection corridor through the Pyrenees demonstrated its capacity to absorb demand spikes, supporting regional energy security and helping France meet its consumption needs during a period of nuclear maintenance and safety checks.
Beyond the Franco border, Spain again boosted exports to Portugal, adding another layer to its cross border strategy. Portugal relies heavily on hydroelectric generation, which is sensitive to rainfall and drought conditions. As a result, Portuguese buyers turned to Spain to secure additional supply and maintain grid stability. In September, exports to Portugal reached 1,020 GWh, with a net export balance of 861 GWh. Earlier months in the year saw higher activity, including a record monthly purchase of 1,435 GWh with a net balance of 1,373 GWh in February. These movements underscore Portugal’s structural dependence on imported electricity during periods of drought and hydro variability, and they highlight Spain’s role as a regional energy supplier during market tightness.
The ongoing export growth to neighboring markets reflects Spain’s evolving generation mix, which increasingly relies on a combination of nuclear, hydro, and other renewable sources. While drought and plant outages shape monthly dynamics, system operators maintain close oversight of interconnections to guarantee reliability and acceptable prices for households and businesses across the region. The latest REE bulletin confirms the expanded role of Spain in regional energy planning and its capacity to support adjacent markets while maintaining domestic supply security.
Overall, the September results show a sustained export surplus that reinforced Spain’s position as a key electricity exporter in southwestern Europe. The balance of imports remained minimal, while exports to major neighbors produced notable margins in the regional market. The data also illustrate how cross border infrastructure and hydroelectric variability interact with market demand to shape monthly energy flows, affecting prices, reliability, and strategic planning for national and European grid operators. The REE monthly report continues to provide the official measurements and analysis used by planners, policymakers, and market participants to understand the evolving dynamics of Spain’s electricity system, its borders, and its role in regional energy security. This interpretation draws on REE data and confirms the trend toward higher export activity even as generation and demand conditions shift from month to month.