Article

A secret meeting occurred in Madrid involving Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, and executives from major Spanish utilities including Iberdrola, Redeia, and EDP. The meeting focused on the state of electrical networks in Spain and Portugal, as Microsoft plans to invest around €20 billion in data centers in the region.

The discussion was influenced by growing scrutiny from both the Spanish government and the EU regarding the impact of data centers on electrical stability and costs. The agenda included the European Grids Package, a regulatory initiative aimed at expanding electrical networks and addressing bottlenecks in the EU.

Microsoft presented its investment conditions necessary for large-scale network projects to support its planned data centers. Attendees included political and business leaders, although Spain's Minister of Ecological Transition canceled her attendance due to a train accident. The meeting highlighted the need for accountability in energy consumption from data center developers.