Metal strike in A Coruña 2026: mandatory minimum electrical services

Key data

Four days of total strike in the metal industry in A Coruña put the Galician electrical system on alert. The Ministry for Ecological Transition has published Order TED/602/2026 to ensure that electrical supply is not interrupted during stoppages on June 16, 17 and 30 and July 2, 2026. The reason is technical: the system operator, Red Eléctrica de España, has determined that without certain generation and distribution assets in operation, the security of the transport network is compromised.

The regulation balances the constitutionally recognized right to strike with the guarantee of electrical supply as a service of general economic interest, as established by Law 24/2013 of the Electrical Sector. It is not an arbitrary restriction: it is the technical response to an operational need of the system.

What does this regulation establish?

Order TED/602/2026 sets the minimum services that must remain operational during each strike day to avoid compromising the electrical network in the province of A Coruña and its surroundings. The obligations are structured in two levels:

Electrical generation: Red Eléctrica de España, as the system operator, has determined that permanent availability of the following generation assets is required:

• Sabón 3 combined cycle: complete permanent availability during each strike day.
• Puentes 5 combined cycle: permanent availability of part of it during each strike day.

Distribution and control: Electrical sector companies must keep the following human and technical resources operational:

The legal basis is Law 24/2013 of the Electrical Sector, which classifies electrical supply as a service of general economic interest. This enables the Ministry for Ecological Transition to set minimum services that prevail over the exercise of the right to strike when the safety of persons and installations is at stake.

Economic and operational impact

For the affected electrical companies, the impact is mainly operational and personnel management. They must guarantee the presence of qualified workers in critical positions during four complete 24-hour days, even if those workers are part of the metal industry collective agreement in A Coruña or have union solidarity with the strike.

The most relevant operational tension points are:

• Shift planning: control centers cannot be left without coverage at any moment during the four strike days.
• Brigade availability: incidents in the distribution network must be able to be handled normally, which requires active standby brigades.
• Guaranteed generation: the Sabón 3 and Puentes 5 combined cycles must be available to start or maintain production if the system requires it, regardless of whether their operators join the strike.

For industrial and domestic consumers in the area, the expected impact is minimal if companies comply: supply should be maintained normally. The real risk occurs if any company fails to comply with minimum services and an incident occurs in the network without capacity to respond.

Who does it affect?

• Metal industry workers in A Coruña designated to cover minimum services: they are obliged to attend even if they have joined the strike.
• UFD Distribución: must maintain standby teams, brigades and control centers active for all four days.
• Edistribución: same.
• Endesa: same, including operation of the Sabón 3 combined cycle.
• Naturgy Generación: same, including partial availability of the Puentes 5 combined cycle.
• Red Eléctrica de España: as the system operator, it is the one who has determined the technical requirements and must coordinate the availability of generation assets.
• Industrial and domestic consumers in A Coruña and surroundings: indirectly affected; the regulation seeks to ensure they notice no interruption.
• Metal industry companies in A Coruña in general: their workers can exercise the right to strike except those designated for minimum services.

Practical example

Imagine you are the operations manager of Naturgy Generación in Galicia. On June 16, 2026, the first strike day, 70% of your workforce at the Puentes 5 combined cycle has joined the stoppage called by CIG Industria.

Order TED/602/2026 requires you to guarantee permanent availability of part of that combined cycle during the 24 hours of the day. This means you must have previously identified which workers are designated as minimum service, formally notified them and ensured they attend their post. If you don't and the electrical system requires that generation capacity to maintain transport network security, the responsibility falls on the company.

The same scheme applies to UFD Distribución, Edistribución and Endesa: each must have its brigades and control centers operational on June 16, 17 and 30 and July 2, regardless of the level of strike participation in their workforces.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify which workers are designated as minimum service on each of the four strike days (June 16 and 17, June 30 and July 2, 2026).
2. Formally notify designated workers of their obligation to attend, with sufficient advance notice and in writing, to avoid conflicts and leave documentary evidence.
3. Verify control center coverage to ensure they are not left without qualified personnel at any time during the 24 hours of each strike day.
4. Confirm technical availability of combined cycles (Sabón 3 and Puentes 5) with maintenance and operations teams, ensuring they can start or maintain production if Red Eléctrica requires it.
5. Coordinate with Red Eléctrica de España communication protocols for strike days, so that any network incident can be managed with agility.
6. Document compliance with minimum services on each day, as backup against possible union claims or administrative inspections.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-13007