How Spain's electricity interconnection with Europe is evolving
Spain imports more electricity from Europe than it exports. The net exchange balance shows the real grid dependency.
This piece shows how Spain's peninsular electricity interconnection has evolved since 2014, which years were exceptional and what the current weight on demand is.
In 2024, the international exchange balance was -10.227 TWh (negative = net import).
This represents 4.13% of peninsular demand, compared to 1.33% in 2014.
Exchange balance evolution (2014-2024)
The balance fluctuates year to year: in 2018 Spain was a net exporter, but recent years show a trend towards imports. Negative values indicate net electricity imports.
Net international electricity exchange balance (2014-2024)
Source: REE - REData API
Key milestones
The comparison between the 2014 and 2024 balances shows that electrical external dependency has grown in absolute terms.
Balance comparison: key milestones
Source: REE - REData API
Annual exchange detail
| Year | Balance (TWh) | Demand (TWh) | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | -3.406 | 256.422 | 1.33% |
| 2015 | -0.133 | 261.473 | 0.05% |
| 2016 | 7.658 | 263.416 | 2.91% |
| 2017 | 9.169 | 266.688 | 3.44% |
| 2018 | 11.102 | 267.652 | 4.15% |
| 2019 | 6.862 | 262.969 | 2.61% |
| 2020 | 3.28 | 248.624 | 1.32% |
| 2021 | 0.852 | 255.656 | 0.33% |
| 2022 | -19.802 | 249.868 | 7.92% |
| 2023 | -13.957 | 245.239 | 5.69% |
| 2024 | -10.227 | 247.42 | 4.13% |
What the data tells us
1 The net exchange balance in 2024 was -10.227 TWh, 4.13% of demand.
2 2022 recorded the highest net import (-19.802 TWh), the year of the energy crisis.
3 In 2018 Spain was a net exporter (11.102 TWh), illustrating structural variability.