The Portuguese Government has extended by one year the deadline for publishing the timeline and guidelines for public tenders for low-voltage ("LV") power distribution grid concessions.
The low-voltage grid ("LV Grid") is operated by private entities awarded with a concession provided by the municipalities. It can also be operated directly by each municipality, but none of them is currently doing so. We note that the LV Grid operation must be carried out in exclusivity.
Originally, public tenders for LV Grid concessions were set to be launched by June 2025. However, on September 2, 2024, this schedule was revoked, and a Low Voltage Coordination Committee ("CCBT") was established.
The CCBT was supposed to propose a new schedule and publish the guidelines for these tenders by December 15, 2024, but this did not happen. With Resolution of the Council of Ministers N.º 30/2025, of 20 February, December 15, 2025, was set as new deadline for submitting the schedule proposal.
The prior qualifications requirements for the tenders were already strict with applicants needing at least 5 years of experience in operating distribution grids. In this sense, this change goes against the efforts of interested players who had been preparing to participate in the tenders in 2025.
The exiting LV Grid concessions were to expire between 2021 and 2022. Until now extensions have been granted to the concessionaires and until new tenders are completed the preexisting concessions will remain effective. At this time it is unclear if the new tenders will happen in 2025 or if stakeholders will need to wait a bit longer for their opportunity in the market.
Read our previous publications on this subject:
The Portuguese LV grid tenders
The Portuguese distribution grid: update
The Portuguese Low Voltage grid tenders postponed once again
Finally, all clear for the Portuguese LV grid tenders?
Are new tenders for low-voltage electricity distribution concessions at sight?
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