This photograph shows the 25th April bridge over the Tagus river with the lights off following a massive power cut affecting the entire Iberian peninsula and the south of France, in Lisbon on April 28, 2025. Photo by Patricia DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP.
Lisbon: Portugal will invest around 400 million euros (463 million U.S. dollars) in a package of 31 measures to bolster the country's electricity system in response to the massive blackout that swept across the Iberian Peninsula on April 28, Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho said on Monday.
Speaking at a press conference in Lisbon, Carvalho emphasized that the plan aims to enhance the resilience and security of the national grid while minimizing the impact on consumer tariffs.
Central to the package is the acceleration of 137 million euros in previously approved projects by national grid operator REN to improve grid operation and control capacity.
Other initiatives include launching a battery storage auction by 2026 and allocating 25 million euros to reinforce critical infrastructure such as hospitals through the installation of photovoltaic panels and backup batteries.
The plan also includes modernization of grid control systems, the creation of a unified data collection platform, and the development of a national electricity storage strategy combining chemical and hydropower technologies.
"We believe these measures are sufficient to improve operational security without significant consumer impact," Carvalho said, underlining the government's effort to balance security and affordability.
In addition to domestic measures, Portugal is exploring new cross-border electricity connections to enhance the stability and flexibility of its power network.
Carvalho revealed that Portugal is evaluating the possibility of linking its grid with Morocco, a country already connected to Spain and now considering an additional link with Germany.
"Morocco is interested in connecting to Europe," she said. "Portugal may join one of these ongoing cross-border projects as part of its long-term strategy."
She also highlighted the close coordination between Portugal and Spain in the aftermath of the April blackout, with both nations agreeing to accelerate efforts to improve Iberian energy interconnections with France. (1 euro = 1.16 U.S. dollar)
