Portugal opposes EU proposal on gas usage cuts

• 1 year, 9 months ago (2022-07-22)
• David Flin

Europe 1061 Gas 371 Hydropower 111

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Joao Galamba, Portugal’s Energy Secretary, said that the country was totally opposed to an EU proposal for member states to cut gas usage until March because it would hamper electricity production when the country faces an extreme drought.

The EU told Joao Galamba, Portugal’s Energy Secretary, said that the country was totally opposed to an EU proposal for member states to cut gas usage until March because it would hamper electricity production when the country faces an extreme drought.

member states on 20 July to reduce gas usage by 15 per cent until March as an emergency step after Russia’s President Putin warned that Russian supplies to Europe could be reduced and might even stop.

Galamba said that the EU proposal did not address the specific hydropower needs of Spain and Portugal which, due to the current drought were forced to generate more electricity through gas-fired power plants. He said: “Portugal is totally against the European Commission’s proposal because it does not take into account of the differences between countries. This cannot apply to Portugal.”

Duarte Cordeiro, Environment Minister, said: “Rejecting the proposal is not a lack of solidarity, because Iberia is an energy island with little energy interconnection with the rest of Europe. Cutting gas in Portugal would not make gas available to any other country.” He said that, due to severe drought, dams in Portugal were generating about 50 per cent of the electricity generated last year, forcing utilities to use the gas-fired power plants to a greater extent.