Spain expects demand tenders with 75 nodes likely to be called after awarding 928 MW: what comes next?

Spain is beginning to define the next stage of access to electricity for new demand, after the first demand access capacity tender awarded 928 MW across five transmission network nodes . Red Eléctrica has already identified a broad map of locations where new demand access tenders could be held, with 75 transmission network nodes potentially eligible for tenders . These nodes are distributed across 220 kV and 400 kV infrastructure in various regions of the country. These nodes are spread across autonomous communities such as Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and León, Aragon, Extremadura, Galicia, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and the Community of Madrid, among others. Looking ahead, the sector anticipates new tenders. Jorge González Onieva Johansson , Business Development Director at OSPREL , believes the next tender could take place between the second and third quarters of the year, although regulatory adjustments are still under review. "There were delays, but we may see more agile demand tenders that aren't stuck like generation tenders."

The initial uncertainty is diminishing, and the fact that a first process has already been launched and resolved indicates that this mechanism will move forward,” the executive explained in an interview with Energía Estratégica . In that context, the executive also noted that future processes could incorporate adjustments to their design , within a still-evolving regulatory environment and with room for industry feedback on the award criteria.

In total, the following were awarded:

Among the projects, the following stand out:

In addition, the promoters had to submit

"It is not easy to compare projects with very different levels of maturity.

“An industrial expansion of an already operational plant can deliver real-world energy consumption much more quickly, whereas a green hydrogen project typically operates on longer and more complex development timelines that depend on regulatory approvals and can be subject to delays,” explained González Onieva Johansson. The competition design also categorized projects according to their type of electricity consumption: hydrogen and renewable gases (type 1), industrial electrification and mining (type 2), and data centers (type 3) .

The call prioritized the first two categories, which generated debate around access to power for digital developments. "If the base continues to prioritize hydrogen and industrial decarbonization, data centers could be displaced in certain hubs if categories 1 and 2 absorb the available capacity ," the executive stated. This issue is particularly relevant at a time when Spain is experiencing strong growth in data center projects , driven by the expansion of artificial intelligence and cloud services. According to official government sources, 12 GW of power has been allocated to data center-related projects. The volume of initiatives already underway represents over €30 billion in investment , with developments pending energy agreements, grid permits, and joint strategies between utilities, technology companies, and developers. For energy developers and large electricity consumers, this landscape anticipates the next phase of competition for access to power , an increasingly decisive factor in the location of new electrified industries, hydrogen projects, and data centers. "We need more electricity consumption to grow as a country, have more industry, and generate more business ," concluded González Onieva Johansson. According to the executive, the challenge now will be to expedite future tenders so that the electricity system can keep pace with the industrial and technological expansion projected for the coming years. Furthermore, the sector is closely monitoring the proposed regulations on flexible demand, which could introduce complementary mechanisms for certain large-scale energy consumption and add new alternatives to the purely competitive tender process.