Spain's electricity grid activates demand‑response and rolls out bird‑friendly upgrades

Red Eléctrica Corporación invoked the active demand‑response service (SRAD) twice in July, requesting large industrial consumers to voluntarily disconnect for up to two hours on July 15 and July 22 to balance the grid amid extreme heat and high demand. The mechanism, in place since 2022, pays participants about €185 per megawatt‑hour and aims to keep supply stable without being an emergency shutdown.

Meanwhile, Endesa announced a plan to modify up to 1,500 medium‑voltage power‑line supports across Catalonia by 2026 to reduce bird collisions. The first 345 sites, located in the migratory corridor of Ossa‑Comarca, were presented in Manlleu with participation from regional authorities and wildlife agencies. The upgrades, which will be carried out without de‑energising the lines, are intended to protect avifauna and improve service reliability.