Spain had to limit for three hours its electricity exports to France, Portugal and Morocco in order to preserve the stability of the national electricity system. The decision was adopted by Red Eléctrica (REE) last November 5, between 19:00 and 22:00, in a context of low production of renewable energies and limited availability of conventional plants. The measure, reported this Saturday by Cinco Días, has raised concern in the energy sector due to the difficulties in ensuring sufficient generation reserves during certain times of the day.
The episode occurred when Spain had not yet entered the months of highest electricity demand of winter. According to the data analyzed by the consultancy Nera, demand was around 34,000 megawatts (MW), a figure lower than the peaks that can be recorded during cold waves. However, the combination of a drop in wind production, the absence of solar generation at those hours, and the unavailability of some conventional facilities reduced the operator’s room for maneuver.
Red Eléctrica has told Cinco Días that it restricted the exchange capacity available to the markets with the aim of conserving the generation needed to meet possible imbalances. The operator also argues that these limitations are part of the usual system management tools in situations of low renewable output and high unavailability of thermal power plants.
What happened on November 5 for Spain to limit its exports
The explanation for the episode lies in the combination of several factors that coincided during the early hours of the evening. At 20:00 on November 5, solar generation was practically nil, as usually happens after sunset. This circumstance was compounded by a particularly low contribution from wind energy.
According to the analysis prepared by the consultancy Nera based on data from Red Eléctrica, Spanish wind farms were producing barely 1,400 MW, despite the fact that the installed capacity for this technology is around 33,000 MW. The difference does not mean that the facilities were malfunctioning, but rather that the absence of sufficient wind limited their production at that moment.
Nuclear power was also not operating at full capacity. Two plants were unavailable, which reduced nuclear generation to approximately 5,000 MW.
Given this situation, the natural gas combined-cycle power plants had to assume a considerable part of the demand. Its output reached 16,800 MW, with all available facilities already in operation. The operating capacity of these cycles stood at around 18,500 MW, so there was hardly any margin to quickly increase their contribution.
The result was a system with enough electricity to meet normal consumption, but with a tighter reserve to respond to possible unforeseen events.
Why Red Eléctrica decided to stop sales to France, Portugal and Morocco
To understand the decision, it is necessary to distinguish between the electricity that is being consumed and the additional capacity that must be kept available for safety.
Red Eléctrica has an obligation to balance generation and demand at all times. In addition, it needs to have reserves to act when a plant unexpectedly stops producing, consumption increases, or a deviation from forecasts is recorded.
In this case, the operator chose to limit the commercial export capacity to conserve generation resources within the Spanish system. This way, it could have a wider margin to respond to possible imbalances without compromising domestic supply.
The measure affected exchanges with France, Portugal and Morocco, although it is important to clarify that it did not mean a physical disconnection of Spain from the power grids of its neighbors.
In fact, imports continued. According to information published by Cinco Días, Spain came to receive around 1,400 MW from France, a contribution that helped cover the system’s needs.
The difference is significant: limiting exports does not mean being left without electricity, nor does it show that an imminent blackout existed. It is an operating measure intended to preserve available reserves.
Was there a risk of a new blackout in Spain?
The episode has generated concern due to the precedent of the April 28, 2025 blackout, which left much of the Iberian peninsula without supply. However, there is no information that would allow saying that Spain was about to suffer another blackout last November 5.
The restriction on exports was a preventive action to ensure the safety of the operation. Its application shows that the reserve margin was limited, but does not, by itself, demonstrate that a loss-of-control situation of the system had occurred.
Industry sources cited by Cinco Días interpret what happened as a sign of tension in the electricity grid. The consulting firm Nera also considers it significant that the limitations were applied with a demand of around 34,000 MW, lower than the levels that can be reached during winter.
Concern centers on what could happen if lower temperatures, higher consumption, scarce renewable generation, and several power plants out of service were to coincide.
Nevertheless, Red Eléctrica emphasizes that the limitation of exchanges is a known mechanism and that it may be necessary in different circumstances. Therefore, a preventive restriction must not be confused with a declared electrical emergency.
Had a suspension of electricity exports happened before?
Although it is not a usual practice for exports to be restricted simultaneously to the three countries, there are precedents.
According to the public data from Red Eléctrica cited by Cinco Días, between January 2017 and December 2024 no simultaneous limitations of this type were recorded. In December 2024, instead, restrictions occurred during 14 hours spread across the days 11, 12, and 13.
In 2025, there were also 18 hours with limitations, 14 of which corresponded to the day of the major peninsular blackout in April.
The main difference from the episode of November 2026 is the consumption context. The restrictions in December 2024 coincided with winter, while the action of the past day 5 took place when demand was still far from the season’s highest levels.
In addition, on October 6 of this year, another episode of tension had already been recorded, during which Red Eléctrica significantly reduced exports and resorted to the temporary reduction of industrial consumption to balance the grid.
The role of industries and gas power plants to avoid supply problems
The restriction on exports is not the only tool that Red Eléctrica can use when it needs to reinforce reserves.
The operator also has the Active Demand Response Service (SRAD), a mechanism through which certain industries and other participating consumers commit to temporarily reduce their electricity consumption when the system needs it.
These companies receive economic compensation for staying available and, where applicable, for effectively reducing their demand. This is not about widespread cuts to households, but a specific balancing service with participants previously awarded.
During 2026, Red Eléctrica has used this mechanism on several occasions. According to data published by Cinco Días, since September no new activations had been recorded, although the system remains available to respond to specific situations.
The importance of this tool will increase during next winter. The SRAD auction scheduled for 26 November, corresponding to the first half of 2027, includes up to 25 activation orders, compared with 21 in the current period. This is an increase of approximately 19% in the maximum number of orders.
The operator has also asked the main electricity companies to review their maintenance schedules in an attempt to have more generation facilities available during the months of highest demand.
However, plant outages cannot always be postponed, especially when they respond to mandatory technical inspections or breakdowns.
Can this situation affect the price of electricity?
The restriction on exports does not necessarily imply an immediate increase in the electricity bill. There is no data to allow attributing to the three hours of 5 November a specific increase in the invoice of domestic consumers.
The price of electricity depends on numerous factors, including the available supply, demand, the cost of gas, international exchanges, and the services needed to keep the system stable.
When renewable generation decreases and reliance on combined-cycle plants increases, gas can take on greater weight in the formation of the wholesale price. However, that does not mean that each export restriction automatically leads to higher electricity prices.
There are also costs associated with the adjustment mechanisms used to maintain the balance between generation and consumption. Red Eléctrica recalls that these services are regulated and form part of the ordinary operation of the electricity system.
The underlying issue is how to guarantee sufficient generation resources and flexibility while the share of renewable energies continues to increase. The episode of November 5 demonstrates the importance of having available reserves when solar and wind production decreases, especially during nighttime hours.
For now, Red Eléctrica’s actions have allowed the system to be managed without any widespread supply interruption associated with these restrictions having been reported. However, the simultaneous limitation of exports to France, Portugal and Morocco has reopened the debate about the availability of conventional power plants, storage capacity, and the readiness of the Spanish electricity system for the coming winter months.