Prime Minister, Spain could supply gas to Germany and Europe.

For that, the Midcat pipeline would have to be built.

But France is not taking part: Does Midcat still have a chance?

Hans Christian Roessler

Political correspondent for the Iberian Peninsula and the Maghreb based in Madrid.

  • Follow I follow

President Putin uses gas and oil as weapons of war and uses them to blackmail Europe.

Spain and the Iberian Peninsula are making their capabilities available to alleviate shortages, replace gas and make Europe more resilient.

We have six regasification plants and are ready to supply the entire EU.

The Iberian Peninsula has 30 percent of the total European capacity to liquefy gas.

Midcat is about European security of supply.

This is not a bilateral issue, it affects the entire EU.

In view of the war in Ukraine, the interests of Europe, not individuals, should take precedence.

How do you intend to convince France of this?

In July 2018, Emmanuel Macron made a public commitment in writing to promote the expansion of the electricity and energy network.

That was at the Energy Network Summit in Lisbon, where Spain, Portugal and the EU Commission – as before in Madrid in 2015 – discussed better connecting the Iberian Peninsula to the rest of the EU.

By 2020, a degree of interconnection of ten percent should actually be reached.

But so far it has only been less than five percent, although it should be 15 percent by 2030.

How could Spain help Germany and Europe?

Spain would be able to deploy the hydrogen corridor on its side in seven to eight months.

Because the line, which was previously called Midcat, will be suitable for both green hydrogen and natural gas.

We call on the French government to now fulfill its obligations.

France did not make it to Spain, but to the European Commission.

We ourselves are already in solidarity with France, Portugal and other European countries.

In France, a large part of the nuclear power plants is not in operation, in Portugal the hydroelectric power plants are at a standstill due to the drought.

We deliver electricity and gas to both countries.

Already today, ten percent of all gas that reaches the EU arrives in Spain.

Most with LNG tankers, the rest via pipeline.

You mean the line from Algeria?

Is Algeria a safe supplier?

The political crisis between Algiers and Spain has been going on for months.

Algeria has always been a reliable partner for gas supplies.

Nothing changed about that.

We have no doubt about that either.

But we can help even more.

In the medium term, we are striving to become the major hub for green hydrogen and an export power for green energy.

In recent years we have already multiplied our wind energy and photovoltaic capacities.

In 2030 we want to produce ten percent of the green hydrogen in Europe.

But Spanish solidarity also has limits.

Spain and Portugal have pushed through an Iberian exemption for the gas price in the EU: a cap restricts the price of gas for electricity production.

What did that bring?