Portugal is exploring the possibility of establishing an electricity interconnection with Morocco, as part of a EUR400 million plan to enhance the operational security of its national power grid. The plan, recently announced by the Portuguese government, includes 31 measures aimed at preventing large-scale outages, such as the April 28, 2025 blackout that affected the Iberian Peninsula and exposed Portugal’s vulnerability due to its near-total dependence on Spain’s grid.
It is considering the possibility of joining one of the existing interconnections as a cost-effective alternative to launching an entirely new project. Portugal’s environment ministry indicated that the cooperation with Morocco could leverage existing cross-border transmission infrastructure in the region, rather than initiating greenfield development.
Morocco’s Office National de l’Electricitéet de l’Eau Potable (ONEE) currently maintains two electricity interconnection lines with the Spanish grid (managed by transmission system operator Red Eléctrica), via the Strait of Gibraltar. During a recent grid emergency, Morocco supported Spain by allocating up to 38 per cent of its generation capacity, highlighting the strategic value of cross-Mediterranean electricity exchange in ensuring regional energy security.
