The company Templus filed a comprehensive amendment to the draft Royal Decree aimed at regulating data centers in Spain, requesting the government to withdraw the current text and initiate a new dialogue with the industry. In addition to the amendment, the operator presents 23 specific allegations, among which the need to protect already authorized projects, raise the limit from 1 MW to 10 MW in applicable obligations, and reevaluate the renewable energy coverage requirement stand out.
This move by Templus aligns with growing discontent expressed by other operators, investors, and administrations after the close of the public hearing period on September 10. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) opened the public hearing on August 27, extending the deadline for submitting documentation until September 10. The next step is to analyze the allegations and, if necessary, modify the document before proceeding with the process.
The government defends the need for intervention, citing the rapid growth in electricity capacity requests. According to MITECO data, more than 6 GW of access capacity have been granted to data centers since the end of 2023. The draft project includes the obligation for new data centers to ensure that 80% of their energy consumption in each hour of operation is supported by new renewable generation, which generates controversy in the sector.
Rafael Castrillo Maortua, Templus Marketing Director, emphasizes the need for regulation that does not jeopardize the country's digital competitiveness or create uncertainties about investments already made. The company's CEO, Ignacio T. Velilla, had previously expressed concerns about the requirements for binding new renewable energy to consumption. The decisions made by the government in response to the objections presented will impact the sustainability of future data centers and the conditions for access to the electrical grid in Spain's new digital economy.
