Portuguese Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, announced that Portugal is exploring the possibility of establishing an electricity interconnection with Morocco. She revealed that initial discussions have already taken place between the foreign ministers of both countries. Speaking at a press conference on Monday at the ministry's headquarters in Lisbon, Carvalho said, «We are assessing the feasibility of creating an electrical connection with Morocco, and there has already been an initial dialogue between our foreign minister and his Moroccan counterpart». The minister highlighted Morocco's strong interest in connecting to the European electricity grid, noting that the Kingdom is already linked to Spain's network and is also exploring a potential project with Germany. She added that communication with Morocco is still in its early stages, with plans underway for the first official meeting between representatives of the two countries to be held soon in Lisbon. Last May, following a major power outage on April 28 that affected the Iberian Peninsula, Carvalho pointed to existing agreements with Morocco aimed at expanding electrical interconnections. However, technical and financial challenges have slowed progress, prompting Portugal and Spain to urge France to accelerate the development of cross-border links within the region. She explained that limited connectivity with France contributed to delays in restoring power during the blackout. Despite the high costs, she emphasized that a connection with Morocco remains a strategic option, thanks to its existing link with the Spanish grid. Notably, Morocco and Portugal signed a joint declaration in December 2023 during the COP28 conference in Dubai. The agreement, signed by Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, and Portugal's then-Minister of Environment and Climate Action, Duarte Cordeiro, aims to strengthen cooperation on renewable energy and support energy exchange between Africa and Europe.
