Portugal unveils plan to reinforce power grid after Iberian blackout

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 syst...

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.