EDP has brought into operation a hybrid renewable energy project in central Portugal that combines onshore solar generation with existing hydropower infrastructure. This project, called the Pracana complex, has an installed capacity of 89 MW, and is located across the municipalities of Mação and Proença-a-Nova, in the districts of Santarém and Castelo Branco. The project integrates a 48 MW solar plant with 90,000 solar modules and the existing 41 MW Pracana hydropower facility on the Ocreza river.
The hydroelectric station was originally commissioned in 1951 and has now been incorporated into a multi-technology generation setup. The solar plant began construction in January 2025 and is expected to produce 87 GWh of electricity annually, while the hydropower component is expected to generate 53 GWh per year. Together, the hybrid complex is designed to deliver a total annual generation of 140 GWh.
Furthermore, the Pracana complex is expected to supply electricity equivalent to the consumption of around 51,800 households. It is also projected to offset approximately 35,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The complex is reportedly the first project in Portugal to integrate hydropower and onshore solar generation
