Wind briefly provides 25 pct of Spain's energy

MADRID, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Wind power at one moment on Wednesday provided Spain with a record 25 percent of its energy needs as output touched 9,563 megawatts, beating the previous record of 8,375 MW set in March last year.

Red Electrica (REE.MC), which operates the electricity network, said that at 1427 GMT demand nationally was 36,638 MW, of which 29 percent was satisfied by combined cycle power stations, 16 percent from nuclear power plants and 15 percent from coal-fired stations.

Among other sources, hydroelectric power provided just 3 percent of power needs, Red Electrica said.

Many parts of northern and eastern Spain have been under alert for high winds this week with the northwest coast of Galicia battered by storms. (Reporting by Joe Ortiz, editing by Anthony Barker)