Madrid metro reduces trains over soaring power prices

Madrid’s metro system has reduced the number of trains in circulation to deal with soaring electricity prices, the public company which runs the service in the Spanish capital said Thursday.

The public firm has cut the number of train in circulation by an average of 10 percent, a spokesman for Metro de Madrid said,

During rush hour the number of trains was reduced by four percent, meaning 311 will circulate instead of 324 before, he added.

“The exorbitant price of energy has forced Metro to take measures that will mean savings in the daily costs that the company has to face every day,” the spokesman said.

The company said the reduction will only increase wait times by “a few extra seconds” and will not lead to overcrowding because passenger traffic remains lower than before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With over 300 stations, Madrid’s metro is one of the largest in Europe, connecting the entire city and part of the suburbs.

Spain like other European nations is struggling with soaring prices for gas and power, pushed higher by rising demand due to the economic recovery from the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Metro de Madrid said its daily electricity bill has jumped to 800,000 euros ($847,000) from 120,000 euros previously.

The company’s power bill in February hit 12.2 million euros, compared to 3.4 million euros during the same month last year, the spokesman said.

But consumer group FACUA said the jump in power costs was just a “pretext” to reduce service, which will encourage the use of cars and generate more air pollution.

The conservative regional government of Madrid, which owns the company that runs the metro service, has ruled out raising fares.