Following a significant power outage that struck the Iberian Peninsula last month, Spain and Portugal have requested that the European Union intervene in order to push for additional power interconnectors with France, according to Reuters.
Why are Spain and Portugal urging EU intervention now?
France has delayed major interconnection projects that Spain and Portugal claim might help avoid interruptions like the historic power outage that affected the whole of the Iberian Peninsula. Spain and Portugal have limited power links to the rest of Europe. A new undersea electricity cable across the Bay of Biscay is scheduled to be finished by 2028, while work to fortify an existing interconnector between France and Spain is anticipated to conclude this year.
The integration of Spain and Portugal into the European energy system depends mainly on their limited cross-border electricity connections with France. The interconnection capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and France is only 3% of the EU’s 2030 target of 15%. The insufficient connection level prevents effective supply-demand balancing between border regions ,which makes the area susceptible to power outages and market price instability.
What are Spain and Portugal demanding from Brussels?
The governments of Spain and Portugal requested Brussels to intervene in order to facilitate the advancement of new connectivity projects in a letter issued on Wednesday to EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen. The letter, which was signed by Portuguese Energy Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho and Spanish Energy Minister Sara Aagesen, stated that “a firm political and financial commitment is needed, at all levels, in order to ensure the swift and effective integration of the Iberian Peninsula into the EU energy system.”
“Spain and Portugal suggest a ministerial meeting this year, where we, along with France and the Commission, can establish a roadmap with clear milestones and actionable steps,” stated the letter. A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed receipt of the letter and mentioned ongoing communication with the governments.
In its multi-annual planning document released earlier this year, French grid operator RTE examined the viability of constructing two more links with Spain across the Pyrenees.
Given that the objective would be greater connectivity to Spain, RTE’s planning report stated that it would anticipate the EU to provide funding for any such enhancements, “with the beneficiaries being located outside France.”
While Iberia employs a larger percentage of renewable sources, whose erratic output makes the power system more flexible, France generates the majority of its electricity from nuclear facilities.
Portugal and Spain have claimed that this is increasing costs and making it more difficult for their power systems to react to interruptions. By enabling power to move between nations and react swiftly to changes in supply and demand, interconnectors can aid in the stabilization of energy grids. “Accelerating the completion of electricity interconnections with the Iberian Peninsula must be placed among the highest priorities,” the letter stated.
Europe seldom experiences power disruptions as severe as those that occurred in Spain and Portugal this month. Massive disruptions resulted from the outage, including hospitals having to halt regular operations and airlines being grounded. The cause is being looked at by the EU. A representative for the energy ministries of Portugal and Spain both attested that their ministers had signed the letter.
