At the same time, Portugal is investing heavily in its electricity infrastructure and a major effort to build out battery storage across the country. The federal government promises substantial investments of up to €400 million in this endeavor. This decision follows a coordinated blackout that struck both Portugal and Spain on April 28. It was a surge of voltage that caused the blackout. Therefore, this abrupt disconnection of so many power plants at once revealed a failure to tackle the persistent challenges within grid management.
Today, Portugal has a very small amount of battery storage — just 13 megawatts (MW) worth. The federal government has a plan to boost this capacity to a staggering 750 MW. Energy Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho said that swift action was needed. She added that building more than a 20th-century grid, excellent for modernization, works with improving the operational capabilities of the grid.
Strengthening the Grid
The intended investment would place over €137 million. This funding will strengthen the operational and controllability of the electricity grid. This funding is intended to fill some of the gaps that led to the failures behind this most recent blackout. The PT Portuguese grid operator, REN, has described plans to install shunt devices that can make exact measurements of electrical current. These devices will not only prevent future overloads, but ensure stable voltage regulation.
Carvalho too recognized the special challenges presented by renewable energy, such as intermittent and even decentralized nature of these sources. She stated, “We need to enhance the security, digital capabilities and modernisation of our grid to accommodate this new and more complex energy production model.”
The combination of renewable energy’s variability and the existing infrastructure’s inadequacies has posed significant hurdles for Portugal. Meanwhile, the Spanish government’s own report by a commission of experts shredded these claims. It exposed shocking miscalculations by Redeia, Spain’s grid operator, who had wrongly calculated the energy mix required on the day for a stable grid. This mistake in judgment likely had negative impacts on Portugal’s energy security too.
Future Outlook
Portugal, for instance, is continuing full steam with its very ambitious investment plans. The country seeks to make its grid more resilient and improve the ability of renewables to integrate into its system. The country is not only recovering, but making great strides in renewable energy production. The recent blackout exposes how essential robust grid governance is in an energy transition.
This investment aims to foster a more resilient electricity infrastructure, able to support our growing dependence on renewable energy. Portugal looks to increase its battery storage capacity. This important upgrade will bring the State closer to overcoming energy intermittency and ensuring a stable supply of power for its residents.