The Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla have been spared from the blackout that, since 11:30 a.m. (Canary time), is affecting peninsular Spain and Portugal, presumably because their electricity supply comes from electrical systems that have not been altered by the incident.
According to the information available on the Red Eléctrica website, the non-peninsular systems, which serve the Balearic and Canary archipelagos, as well as Ceuta and Melilla, are characterized by their smaller size and their reduced or non-existent connectivity with the peninsular system.
Precisely this last circumstance would explain why these territories have not experienced the supply problems -already historical- that, since shortly after noon, have jeopardized the Iberian Peninsula.
These systems share some unique features that condition their operation.
Among the particularities that make their management different are their small size and isolated geographical location; a more focused demand with high variations in a short time, and a greater difficulty in managing renewable generation technologies.
But also, less stability due to the difficulty in connecting systems to each other and, therefore, fewer response options in case of need. A scenario that, in this case, has been turned around.
Canary Islands
Regarding the Canary Islands, six smaller systems make up its electrical system, consisting of one on each island and the electrical union of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
In this territory, Red Eléctrica has a control center located in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
In the archipelago, electricity demand increased in March by 0.6% compared to the same month of 2024, considering working days and temperatures.
In gross terms, demand was 737,992 MWh, 0.8% higher in year-on-year comparison. In the accumulated of the year, the Canary Islands has registered a demand of 2,172,277 MWh, 0.3% less.
Also, the combined cycle was the first source of generation, with 42.3% of the total, while renewables reached a quota of 15.6% of production.
Balearic Islands
According to Red Eléctrica, the Balearic electrical system is unified, since all the islands of the archipelago have links that keep them connected to each other and, in turn, to the Peninsula through the submarine link put into service in 2012.
The operation is carried out from the Control Center of the Balearic Islands, located in Mallorca.
Under the data of the last March, the electricity demand in the Balearic Islands was 4.1% higher in year-on-year comparison, once the effects of working days and temperatures were taken into account.
In gross terms, the monthly demand was estimated at 456,369 megawatt hours (MWh), 5.8% higher. In the first three months, demand has amounted to 1,337,947 MWh, 3.7% more.
Regarding generation, the combined cycle, with 68.2% of the energy produced, was the first source in the month. Meanwhile, the renewable energy generated in the Balearic community represented 13.7% of the total.
The submarine link between the Peninsula and Mallorca contributed to covering 24.9% of the Balearic electricity demand.
Ceuta and Melilla
In the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, being smaller locations, there is no transport network.
In this way, each of its systems is operated independently from the Control Center of the Balearic Islands in coordination with the distributors and generators of the area.
