Three months after a massive power outage plunged the Iberian Peninsula into darkness,Portugal unveiled Monday a €400 million plan to reinforce its electrical grid—and floated the possibility of connecting to Morocco’s power network.
Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho announced 31 measures designed to prevent future blackouts,reassuring citizens that not all costs would hit their electricity bills. “Part of the financing will come from European funds,” she told reporters in Lisbon,acknowledging public concerns about rising energy costs.
Regarding the Morocco connection,Carvalho revealed that foreign ministers from both countries have started “very preliminary” discussions about linking their power grids. “We could consider connecting to existing projects. Starting from scratch would certainly be very costly,” she noted,suggesting a pragmatic approach to the ambitious cross-strait connection.
The blackout that triggered these measures exposed vulnerabilities in Europe’s interconnected power systems. Spain announced similar grid reinforcement plans,focusing on renewable energy integration and enhanced supervision. For Portugal,which already shares electricity with Spain,a Moroccan link would create an unprecedented intercontinental power bridge.
Energy experts see potential benefits: Morocco’s growing renewable capacity could complement Portugal’s needs,while providing the North African nation another export route for its green energy ambitions. However,technical challenges of undersea cables across the Gibraltar Strait and regulatory harmonization between EU and non-EU systems remain formidable obstacles.
In her press briefing,the Portuguese Environment Minister said the centerpiece of the planned measures involves expanding electricity storage through battery installations,with tenders expected by 2026. Another €25 million targets critical infrastructure like hospitals,ensuring they can maintain power during emergencies. Grid control systems will also undergo modernization to better manage the increasingly complex energy flows from renewable sources.
A major power blackout occurred,on 28 April 2025,across the Iberian Peninsula affecting mainland Portugal and peninsular Spain,where electric power was interrupted for about ten hours in most of the Peninsula and longer in some areas. The power cut caused severe difficulties in telecommunications,transportation systems,and essential sectors such as emergency services.
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