Madrid: According to business association Sedigas, Spain had to use all of its gas plants to meet the rising demand for electricity brought on by the recent scorching temperatures.

The nation, like many others, has been severely affected by a heatwave that has caused temperatures to rise above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The demand for electricity increased as Spaniards used air conditioning to combat the heat.

Tuesday, when these plants generated about 30% of the total electricity, "the system operator had to resort to all available natural gas production units to be able to meet the demand," Sedigas said.

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Around 10 p.m., when demand is still high but solar plant output is at its lowest, these plants, also known as combined cycle power plants, play a particularly significant role.

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According to Sedigas, natural gas plants generated about 22% of the nation's electricity between June 1 and July 19. These pants generated almost a fourth of the nation's electricity in the previous year.

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One of the biggest department store chains in Spain, El Corte Inglés, reported earlier this week that interest in cooling pads for pets as well as sales of air conditioners had increased.