CNMC asks to soften the data-centre decree's 80% new-renewables requirement

Spain's competition and markets authority has issued its report on the draft royal decree for data centres, recommending that the two requirements which most affect renewable contracting be relaxed: additionality, which obliges centres to cover 80% of annual consumption with new generation commissioned no more than 18 months earlier, and hourly correlation. It proposes applying additionality only in hours without enough renewable output or phasing it down to 2030, widening the 18-month window and the six-month deadline for already-permitted projects, and excluding hours with surpluses or prices below 20 euros/MWh. SpainDC wants the government to amend it before approval, expected this month.