Electricity Interconnections

Interconnections are key instruments to promote a secure ecological transition both in Spain and in the European Union as a whole.

The Strategic Role of Electricity Interconnections

Interconnections are strategic infrastructures to ensure security of supply, the integration of renewables, the efficiency of the system, and the energy independence of the European Union.

Main Benefits

Security of Supply

Interconnected systems are more stable, robust and secure, because they provide mutual backup in the event of an incident.

Integration of Renewables

They encourage a better use of renewable energy production regardless of where it is produced, entailing a reduction of CO₂ emissions and therefore having a favourable impact on the climate.

Energy Autonomy

They facilitate greater integration into the Internal Energy Market, which allows energy to flow from where it is cheapest to the rest of the region.

Más eficiencia

Facilitan una mayor integración en el Mercado Interior de la Energía, permitiendo que fluya la energía desde donde es más barata hacia el resto de la región.

Interconnections in our System

The European Union advocates the development of a sufficiently interconnected internal energy market so that energy can flow freely between all Member States in a more robust, efficient, and decarbonised system. In this respect, the European Council set a target for member countries to reach an interconnection level of at least 10% by 2025 and 15% by 2030 with the rest of the European Union.

The Spanish electricity system is currently connected to the systems of France, Portugal, Andorra and Morocco. The exchange capacity of this interconnection is around 3 GW, which represents a low level of interconnection for the peninsula. The international interconnection level is calculated by comparing the electricity exchange capacity with other countries with the generation capacity or installed power.

Red Eléctrica is promoting new interconnections that will let us increase our level of exchange, be better connected, and bring about a more efficient, robust, and decarbonised system. Also, in last years we have made great progress in connecting the different national subsystems through electricity links between islands and links between islands and the mainland.

1.9%

Cross-border capacity ratio between Iberian Peninsula and rest of continental Europe

67.2%

Level of congestion in Spain-France interconnection in 2023 (% of hours during which the interconnection was congested in day-ahead market)

5.3%

Level of congestion in Spain-Portugal interconnection in 2023 (% of hours during which the interconnection was congested in day-ahead market)

National links
International Interconnections

National inter-system links are the most powerful tool for ensuring security of supply and bringing about the ecological transition of isolated systems in our country. They promote territorial cohesion and ensure equal access to a key service.

Balearic Islands

Its submarine relief and proximity to the mainland mean the Balearic archipelago has a large number of interconnections. The infrastructures developed by Red Eléctrica have managed to create a single electricity system, in which all the islands are interconnected. Since August 2012, the Balearic system has been connected to the mainland by a link between the mainland and Majorca, which will soon be reinforced.

Notable Projects

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First Mainland-Balearic Islands Link

Commissioned in 2012, this submarine link integrates the Balearic Islands into the mainland electricity system from Majorca, covering around 30% of the archipelago's total demand. Its commissioning was a milestone in achieving a safer, more efficient, and decarbonised system. Red Eléctrica is working to double these benefits through a second interconnection cable.

2/4

Majorca-Ibiza Link

This link enabled the union of the two existing electricity systems in the Balearic Islands, connecting them to the Iberian and European electricity markets through the connection with the mainland. The twin link posed a technological challenge as it was the longest and deepest AC link in the world when it was constructed.

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3/4

Majorca-Menorca Link

Commissioned in 2020, it integrated the entire Balearic archipelago into a single interconnected electricity system. The submarine cable plays a substantial role in the energy transition process proposed for Menorca and the Balearic Islands as a whole.

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New Ibiza-Formentera Link

This submarine interconnection covers total peak demand of the island of Formentera, reducing to the maximum its dependence on fossil fuels and making progress in the practical decarbonisation of electricity generation on the island.

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Canary Islands

Red Eléctrica is working to ensure that the Canary Islands have an increasingly robust and secure electricity system and that they make progress in their energy transition process. In this respect, we are developing strategic interconnection projects between islands such as Lanzarote-Fuerteventura and Tenerife-La Gomera.

Notable Projects

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Lanzarote-Fuerteventura Link

A link that decisively improves the security and quality of the supply of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura and facilitates their progress in the energy transition. Its commissioning has demonstrated the need to continue advancing in these essential infrastructures for the Canary electricity system.

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2/2

Tenerife-La Gomera Link

The future link, which we are in the process of developing, will be a turning point for the ecological transition of the Canary Islands. On the one hand, it provides the capacity to cover the island of La Gomera’s total demand, reducing its dependence on the Thermal Power Plant that currently supplies it. On the other hand, it allows the integration of a new renewable quota from La Gomera into the Tenerife system, which can be used to reduce the share of fossil fuels.

A Strategic Link for Ceuta

Red Eléctrica is working on a new link between Ceuta and the mainland. An umbilical cord that will integrate the autonomous city into the mainland electricity system, bringing the quality and security of Ceuta's supply into line with that of the rest of Spain. It will reduce dependence on the Ceuta Thermal Power Plant, which will also help decarbonise the Strait of Gibraltar, an area particularly sensitive to the effects of climate change.

International interconnections are the fundamental tool to end our country's energy isolation. They are strategic infrastructures that provide essential support for electricity systems based on inexhaustible natural energy sources, such as the sun or wind, as in the case of Spain. . Our mainland electricity system is currently connected to those of France, Portugal, and Morocco. But we need to continue increasing our exchange capacity in an increasingly renewable system.

A European strategy for a global challenge

The European Union's commitment to the fight against climate change is reflected in a comprehensive legislative package that sets out binding ecological transition targets for all member states.

Interconnections with France

New interconnection through the Bay of Biscay

This electricity interconnection between Spain and France will be the first submarine interconnection between both countries.

This project, which has been declared of common interest (CIP) by the European Commission, will double the exchange capacity between the two countries, increasing the security, stability, and quality of electricity supply of both systems and with the rest of Europe.

More info in Inelfe website

Interconnection in figures

Almost 400 km

Length of the interconnection

4 cables

Two for each link

2 x 1.000 MW

Transmitted power

Up to 5.000 MW

Increase in
interchange capacity
at the maximum

Spain-France Underground Electricity Interconnection

A pioneering, complex, and exceptional project that crosses the Pyrenees through an 8.5 km tunnel that doubled the electricity exchange capacity with France.

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New Interconnection with Portugal

Interconnection with Portugal via the North

This new interconnection is added to existing ones to boost the reliability and guarantee of supply on both sides of the border, increasing the exchange capacity by about 1,000 MW, reaching a total of 4,200 MW from Spain to Portugal and 3,500 MW from Portugal to Spain.

Its commissioning will reduce electricity system costs and bring about a reduction in CO2 emissions of 150 kton per year. This link will also increase the use and integration of renewable energies in the region, boosting its economic and sustainable growth, and helping meet the objectives of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (INECP) and the commitments acquired with the European Union.

This project is part of the PIC (Projects of Common Interest) list of the European Union.

More info on European Planning

This is How We See the Future of Electricity in Our Country

Find out about the Network Development Plan 21-26 and the projects we are working on to contribute to the development of a more efficient and sustainable country.

Commercial Capacity

When there is vacant capacity on the lines that is not intended for security of supply, electricity trades are established on a daily basis, exploiting the differences in energy prices between the interconnected electricity systems. These exchanges allow electricity generation to be carried out with the most efficient technologies by causing energy to flow from where it is cheapest to where it is most expensive.

The trading capacity displayed in magnitudes of power (MW) reflects an indicative forecast of the most likely interchange capacity margins between systems and represents the combination of the constraints identified by the respective operators of both systems.

Rangos de capacidad de intercambio comercial (MW) durante el mes 3 de 2025. Previsión mensual

2100 2450

250 2500

2200 3300

2600 4400

600 600

900 900

France

Portugal

Morocco

CONNECTION	MINIMUM	MAXIMUM
France - Spain	2100	2450
Spain - France	250	2500
Portugal - Spain	2200	3300
Spain - Portugal	2600	4400
Morocco - Spain	600	600
Spain - Morocco	900	900

Disvoer Inelfe

In 2008, Red Eléctrica and its French counterpart Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE) set up the joint venture Inelfe in equal shares to carry out electricity interconnection projects between Spain and France.

Acces

Transmission projects in development

We are driving the ecological transition in Spain by advancing in the deployment of renewables, strengthening interconnections and storage solutions and with other strategic energy vectors.

Projects map is available only in Spanish.

View project map