Portugal has opened two competitive procedures to allocate up to 1,050 MVA of grid connection capacity to energy storage projects, with 750 MVA reserved for standalone installations and 300 MVA for renewable power plants with co-located storage. Applications can be submitted until Dec. 22, 2026.

The government announced the two procedures in June, initially scheduling their launch for Sept. 14. It subsequently postponed the tenders following a public consultation on their conditions.

The procedures are being conducted through electronic auctions and mark Portugal’s first tenders of this kind for grid connection capacity since 2021. They were formally launched through orders published on Oct. 22 in the Diário da República, Portugal’s official gazette. The Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) subsequently published the auction programs and tender documents.

Both procedures require a minimum bid of 50 MVA per application, with no maximum limit. Developers can participate in both auctions but may submit only one application in each. Capacity is auctioned by grid connection point rather than by project.

The standalone storage tender offers up to 750 MVA of capacity across different connection points on Portugal’s Public Electricity Service Network (RESP).

Projects must have installed storage power equivalent to at least 100% of their awarded injection and charging capacity. They must also provide at least four hours of storage at maximum injection power.

The procedure comprises qualification, bidding and capacity allocation stages. It uses an ascending-clock auction mechanism, with bidding for capacity followed by the selection of preferred connection locations and, where applicable, a separate auction for specific locations.

Source link