# Where is grid capacity available for data centers in Spain?

> Capacity exists, but rarely where data centers queue. In the CNMC’s August 2026 data, **816 of 6,186** Spanish distribution nodes publish any demand capacity, and only **104** offer 20 MW or more. Madrid has 9 such nodes and no transmission node with demand capacity, while provinces such as Lugo, Murcia and Asturias publish far more.

By Razvan Toma, Founder & CEO, Ampervia · Last checked 2026-10-12 · https://ampervia.com/answers/spain-grid-capacity-data-centers/

## Key facts

- 816 of 6,186 distribution nodes publish demand capacity; 200 offer ≥10 MW and 104 offer ≥20 MW (CNMC, August 2026; Ampervia aggregation).
- Open distribution nodes fell from 862 in June to 816 in August 2026.
- 290 of 937 Red Eléctrica transmission nodes show demand capacity in at least one published category; none of Madrid’s 91 do.
- About 12 GW of grid access has been granted to data centers in Spain: more than 6 GW on transmission since end-2023 and around 6 GW on distribution since 2020, against a 2030 demand forecast of 3.5–4 GW (Yeandel, citing official figures).

## Where to look

The province table at [Spain grid capacity by province](https://ampervia.com/data/spain-grid/) ranks all provinces by published demand capacity, with the number of nodes at 10 and 20 MW and the change since June.

## Why granted capacity does not mean free capacity

Much of the ~12 GW already granted sits with projects that may never be built. RDL 7/2026 now ties each permit to a declared activity and adds a capacity-reservation charge payable from the permit until activity starts, which should push unused permits back to the grid over time.

## Questions

### Is published capacity a connection offer?

No. It shows where a request can be filed. Only the operator’s study confirms capacity for a specific project.

### Why is Madrid so constrained?

Data center demand has concentrated there for years; the transmission nodes around the city show no demand capacity in the latest CNMC data.

## Sources

1. [CNMC — access capacity map](https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/mapa-capacidad-transporte-20260213)
2. [Yeandel — Spain granted twelve, planned four](https://www.yeandel.co.uk/22-q3-2026-updates/spain-granted-twelve-planned-four.html)
3. [BOE — Real Decreto-ley 7/2026](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2026-6544)

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