Debate Revives Over Splitting Red Eléctrica's Transmission and System Operator Roles

Following a historic power outage, Iberdrola, the Basque nationalist PNV and the centre-right PP have reignited calls to split Red Eléctrica's (REE) transmission monopoly from its system-operator duties. PP lawmaker Juan Diego Requena asked the energy secretary about using the state's 20% stake in REE to separate management, prompting a brief response that the issue resurfaces from time to time. The concept echoes past attempts in Spain and elsewhere in Europe to create independent grid planners, as seen in recent EU parliamentary discussions.

Iberdrola's Spanish chief Mario Ruiz-Tagle has suggested granting 30-year private concessions to accelerate network expansion, citing examples from the UK, the US and Brazil. The debate also draws criticism from industry bodies, which warn that merging ownership and operation could create conflicts of interest. Regulators have flagged potential incentives for REE to expand regulated assets, but note that full separation would still leave shared strategic services.