Overview

• Major distributors publishing standardized capacity maps for the first time report 83.4% of network nodes at saturation, which they say prevents adding new demand at those points.
• Regional strain is acute with the Basque Country and La Rioja at about 99% saturation, Aragón at 96%, Navarra at 94% and Andalucía at 93%, while Asturias, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and Galicia retain comparatively more capacity.
• CNMC data show that in 2024 utilities denied more than 60% of access requests, with projects totaling roughly 40,000 MW turned down in a single year.
• Endesa, Iberdrola, EDP and Naturgy, which together operate about 90% of Spain’s distribution network, call urgent reinforcement and digitalization essential to unlock connections.
• The funding model is in dispute as the CNMC proposes a 6.46% return for 2026–2031 and the sector argues for roughly 7.5% plus targeted incentives to finance upgrades and avoid bottlenecks.