A new electricity interconnector between northern Portugal and Galicia in north-west Spain has been inaugurated, increasing the amount of power that can flow between the two countries.
The project adds 1,000 megawatts (MW) of cross-border capacity, taking the total from Spain to Portugal to 4,200 MW and from Portugal to Spain to 3,500 MW, the European Commission announced on Thursday.
It was delivered by Spain’s transmission system operator Red Eléctrica and Portugal’s REN.
EU Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said cross-border interconnectors help integrate renewable electricity into the grid and can “lower energy prices.”
What an electricity interconnector is
An electricity interconnector is a high-voltage link that allows power to be transferred between countries, helping balance supply and demand across borders, the Commission said.
It pointed out that the project was supported through its inclusion on the EU list of Projects of Common Interest, a scheme that can speed up and prioritise cross-border energy infrastructure.
The project also links to EU work on interconnections in South-West Europe and the bloc’s goal for Member States to reach a 15% electricity interconnection target by 2030.
