European Union places Portugal among the countries that will lead the future energy

Portugal joined the new European Commission’s List of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMI) with several strategic projects that will be decisive for the European energy future. 

This list from Brussels is an essential instrument to guide investment in critical energy infrastructure, identifying the projects deemed vital for energy security, integration of the internal market and meeting the EU climate targets. 

Portugal’s inclusion reiterates the country being a reliable partner, with technically solid and environmentally robust proposals, fully aligned with the European energy transition’s priorities. 

Among the projects distinguished we note the Beariz–Fontefría–Ponte de Lima–Vila Nova de Famalicão electricity interconnection, which is again classified as a European strategic priority. 

This infrastructure boosts the connection between Portugal and Spain, improves the Iberian grid’s stability, increases renewable energy interconnection and contributes to reducing the historical interconnections shortage in the Iberian Peninsula by boosting resilience of the electricity system as a whole. 

In the field of hydrogen, Portugal consolidates its stake in one of the main continent’s strategic corridors, which will connect the Iberian Peninsula to France and Germany. 

The European Union list once again includes the Portuguese hydrogen infrastructure on the list, as well as the Portugal–Spain interconnector and the transborder segment known as BarMar, enabling the creation of a continuous renewable hydrogen transport and export axis to the European industrial centre. 

This corridor will contribute towards reducing external dependence, develop new industrial value chains, staking Portugal as a competitive green hydrogen producer, and boost the European Union’s strategic autonomy. 

The European Commission’s decision confirms that the Portuguese projects meet the technical, financial, and environmental requirements set by the Trans-European Energy Network Regulation. 

The maturity, consistency, and robustness shown reflect a high degree of preparation and the national capability for coordinating complex and transborder projects, an essential factor in approving European funding. 

The Minister of Environment and Energy Maria da Graça Carvalho stresses that "these outcomes demonstrate the exceptional quality of the technical work carried out by the Portuguese teams, which presented solid, mature projects in line with the European Union priorities". 

"Portugal has been staking its claim as a reliable and competent partner. We don’t just deliver what is asked of us, we also contribute to large-scale European solutions, from electricity to hydrogen, which strengthen energy security and accelerate the green transition", Maria da Graça Carvalho indicated, adding that "this European recognition reinforces the Portuguese execution capacity and confirms that our projects are prepared to move forward safely, stably, and in favourable investment conditions". 

In sum, with this new Union List, Portugal reinforces its position in the European energy interconnection efforts. 

The infrastructure now recognised will enable more insertion in the European market, making the most of the national renewable capacity, the development of new green industries, the creation of qualified jobs, and a decisive contribution to a more resilient, interconnected, and sustainable Europe.