Almería produces more solar power than the grids can absorb. On 18 October 2026, current specialist assessments point to substantial curtailment in the province; the node at Tabernas is considered a hotspot. There, at the subestación 400 kV according to independent analyses, more than 40 per cent of the potential feed-in is temporarily photovoltaics curtailed to maintain system security.
The scale is consistent with the region’s rapid expansion of generation. According to the Junta de Andalucía 1,742.9 megawatts of renewable capacity had been installed in Almería province by 30 June 2026, including 1,220 megawatts of photovoltaic capacity. In sunny periods, local surpluses arise that the transmission and distribution grids cannot reliably carry away. The Spanish grid operator records the energy not supplied as Energía Renovable No Integrable or, for short, ERNI. In its system reports, the ERNI curves for 2025 and 2026 show a marked rise, with particularly high concentrations at a small number of nodes.
The immediate consequences are measurable: every megawatt-hour that cannot be integrated worsens the climate balance of the expansion, as emissions-free generation goes unused. There are also higher costs for grid operation and balancing, which indirectly put pressure on electricity prices through market mechanisms. Operators in Almería report that recurring feed-in losses are putting the financial calculations for ongoing projects, PPA contracts and financing under strain. The regional government criticises the planned grid investments to date as insufficient, and calls for grid expansion and storage projects to be accelerated.
Experts identify three levers: first, faster expansion of high-capacity lines and substations; second, rapid connection of large-scale storage; and third, more flexible local demand, for example from industrial loads or controllable electrolysis. Studies also warn that without coordination between permitting authorities, Red Eléctrica de España and investors, the geographical clustering of new parks will further exacerbate bottlenecks. Statements about future loss rates remain forecasts; they depend on project lead times, regulatory decisions and the location of new capacity in the coming months.
What is not in dispute is the current situation: the combination of a high share of photovoltaic power, regionally limited grid infrastructure and rising ERNI figures explains why a large proportion of solar power in Almería—illustrated by the Tabernas node—is currently not reaching consumers.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).