Portugal looks to Morocco for its energy security

Power cables - REUTERS/RAFAEL MARCHANTE
After reaffirming its position as an ambitious player in Euro-Mediterranean energy integration, the European country has turned to the Kingdom of Morocco as a strategic partner to strengthen the security of its electricity system
  1. A direct electricity connection with Morocco
  2. Euro-Mediterranean energy integration

After the crucial role played by Morocco during the major blackout that affected the Iberian Peninsula, helping Spain to overcome the unprecedented energy crisis it experienced, Portugal sees the Kingdom of Morocco as an important opportunity for cooperation on energy security.

As part of its multi-billion-pound plan to strengthen the security of its electricity system and ensure its energy independence, Portugal is looking to boost its electricity grid through a possible partnership with Morocco.

A direct electricity connection with Morocco

After expressing its sincere gratitude to Morocco for its vital assistance in restoring electricity after the blackout that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula, Spain highlighted in its reports that the North African country had allocated 38% of its energy production capacity to help Madrid during the crisis. 

This advantage led Spain to consider Morocco as a potential partner for sustaining energy autonomy. In fact, on Monday 28 July, the Portuguese government announced a €400 million plan to prevent blackouts similar to the power cut that affected Portugal and other countries such as Spain on 28 April 2025.

According to statements by Environment Minister Maria de Garcia Carvalho, the plan will help consolidate the operational security of the grid. These measures constitute a huge investment that aims to explore the possibility of interconnection with Morocco.

The plan aims to strengthen national storage capacity through batteries, increasing it from the current 13 megawatts to 750 megawatts. At the same time, Portugal aims to improve voltage flow management to ensure the efficiency and safety of the country's electrical systems, guaranteeing the correct operation of its devices within optimal parameters and the timely prevention of damage.

Aerial view shows a solar plant in Ouarzazate, in central Morocco - AP/ABEDELJALIL BOUNHAR

Among the reforms presented by the Portuguese minister, which comprise 31 measures to strengthen the country's energy security, the expansion from two to four of the number of power plants with autonomous restart capability stands out, as this technology is indispensable in cases of widespread blackouts such as those experienced last April.

In order to improve the reliability and flexibility of the electricity grid and its ability to respond to unforeseen crises, the Portuguese plan for national energy autonomy will include an auction to contract battery energy storage services.

The North African country expressed its willingness to cooperate with Portugal on energy security through contacts between the two countries' foreign ministers. Both sides have supported the proposal to connect in order to carry out this ambitious project within the framework of a ‘win-win’ partnership.

Power outage in Granada

Euro-Mediterranean energy integration

In a European context increasingly concerned with diversifying its energy supply sources, given the climate change the world is experiencing and the urgent need for a green transition, the energy issue is a sine qua non priority in the European strategy to combat any likely deficit. 

At present, both Portugal's national and European networks are being severely tested by the risks associated with renewable energies. This has highlighted the need to diversify their connections and anticipate systemic crises through proactive measures.

In this regard, Portugal has launched an unprecedented strategic initiative to continuously strengthen the resilience and security of its electricity grid through a planned direct connection with Morocco. 

This approach, which is one of the cornerstones of cooperation between Lisbon and Rabat, marks a turning point in the energy map of the Iberian Peninsula, which normally depends on the Spanish grid. 

However, the key part of the plan remains Portugal's opening up to Morocco as a new energy partner, with the ambition of writing together the first lines of a possible successful story of cooperation in the field of clean energy.

Once the Morocco-Portugal electricity interconnection is completed, this initiative will mark a strategic milestone in Euro-Mediterranean energy integration. This process, which seeks to interconnect the energy networks of the European Union with the countries of the Mediterranean basin, will pave the way for a more resilient cross-border market.

The aim is to improve the security of supply and the use of renewable energies. This requires the creation of a common regulatory framework capable of facilitating the efficient circulation of energy within the Euro-Mediterranean area.

In this regard, the Alawite kingdom is currently seen by European countries as a credible and ambitious player and a strategic partner in the field of renewable energy. This visibility is due in particular to the structural projects launched by Morocco, such as the Noor solar complex and the Morocco-United Kingdom interconnection project.