Government: the Plan of investments of REN is “always so ambitious” – Jornal de Negócios – Portugal

The investment plans of National Energy Networks (REN) will spend this year to be discussed and approved in Parliament. The Government considers that the measure is essential because these investments will then be paid through the tariffs of electricity and gas for households and companies in Portugal.

“This type of investment it makes sense to be discussed this way,” said the Secretary of State for Energy, Jorge Seguro Sanches, this Wednesday, January 4, in the Parliament. “The investments in networks are made by the promoters, and the Assembly of the Republic, upon the proposal of the government, will move to a discussion of the plans investments in the networks, which will arrive in the next few days to the Parliament”.

“REN is now a private company, is a holder of the centre of the ruling that decides the planning of the energy in Portugal, and proposes investments that you want to do”, began by explaining the ruler. “REN is paid on the assets that it has, or is, how many more assets you have the more remuneration you have. Who doesn’t want to earn more money? Any one wants to. The plan is always done so ambitious, correct, but ambitious,” said Seguro Sanches (in the photo).

“In terms of investment plans for the transport of electricity, are more than a billion euros. If the thousand millions of the plan come in after on the invoice, neither is worth it after you speak” in measures to reduce costs”, stressed in the parliamentary committee of economy.

it is recalled that in the past year, the Regulatory Entity of Energy Services (ERSE) chumbou the plan investment in the transport network of electricity presented by REN. This plan provided for an investment exceeding one billion euros for the next years in the transport networks of electricity.

ERSE said that the total amount of investment of 1,165 million euros provided for in the plan “still seems to be inappropriate in the face of the developments and predicted consumption and end of use of the national network of transport (RNT)”. The negative opinion of the ERSE is not binding, and under the previous system his approval was in the hands of the Government, but everything will change this year, with the plan to have it pass through the sieve of the Parliament.

Also in the investment plan for the natural gas, the ERSE defended the deferment of investment of 160 million in the third interconnection of gas between Portugal and Spain, because it could have an impact on gas prices. Also, this plan will now be under scrutiny in the Parliament.

Jorge Seguro Sanches argued that the next plan of investments in the electricity network should take into account the growth of production of solar energy, with several solar plants to emerge mainly in the Alentejo, due to the higher solar radiation in this region. “What makes sense is that the country look at the potential of solar in the south of the country to the south of the country may have a development in networks, as it is in the south where there is more sun,” he said.