Portugal and Morocco Consider Electrical Interconnection
In a significant development for energy security and infrastructure, Portugal and Morocco are contemplating the establishment of an electrical interconnection that aims to strengthen the resilience of the Portuguese power grid. This initiative comes in the aftermath of a catastrophic blackout that affected both Portugal and Spain in April 2025, which underscored the inadequacies of their electrical connectivity with the rest of Europe. Maria da Graça Carvalho, Portugal's Minister of Environment and Energy, has highlighted the need for improved interconnections that could mitigate the impact of such outages by facilitating increased electricity imports from neighboring countries.
The proposed connection with Morocco would diversify Portugal's existing energy links, which currently rely solely on its connection to Spain. This diversification is essential for bolstering the country's energy security, providing an additional source of power in the event of future outages. In a recent press statement in Paris, Carvalho indicated that she would assess the feasibility of this electrical link with Morocco, similar to the existing connection that Spain has, during an upcoming meeting with her Moroccan counterpart, Leila Benali, in Lisbon.
However, Carvalho acknowledged that the development of this interconnection would first require a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis to determine its viability. She did not specify whether the proposed connection would necessitate the construction of a new submarine cable or if it could utilize the existing infrastructure through Spain. Currently, the Iberian Peninsula has only 3% of its electrical capacity linked to neighboring European countries, a stark contrast to the European Union's interconnection target of 15% by 2030. In comparison, Spain and France benefit from four electrical interconnectors across the Pyrenees, with plans for a fifth submarine link through the Bay of Biscay set to come online in 2028, increasing their exchange capacity significantly.
Overall, this initiative represents a promising step towards more robust energy infrastructure in the region, potentially enhancing the interconnectedness of the Iberian Peninsula with broader European electricity networks.
As reported by es.finance.yahoo.com.
