Approval of the Provisional Statutes of the Agency for Geology and Energy (AGE) | Ministerial Order No. 218/2026/1 of 12 May

As part of the implementation of the new Agency for Geology and Energy, I. P. (“AGE”), Ministerial Order No. 218/2026/1 of 12 May was recently published, approving the provisional statutes of AGE (“Ministerial Order No. 218/2026/1”).

By way of background, AGE was established pursuant to Decree-Law No. 58/2026, of 20 February, as part of the institutional reorganisation of the energy sector, with the aim of consolidating powers and responsibilities exercised by several entities, including the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) and the Portuguese Energy Agency (ADENE).

The aforementioned Decree-Law further established that, pending the approval of AGE’s definitive statutes, the entity would operate under provisional statutes approved by ministerial order (see Article 4(4) of Annex III to Decree-Law No. 58/2026).

In this context, Ministerial Order No. 218/2026/1 of 12 May defines the organisational structure of AGE, establishing, in particular, its internal organisation. Under the Ministerial Order, AGE is organised into:

1. Core organisational units, designated as directorates, headed by directors, including:

1. The Electricity Directorate;
2. The Fuels Directorate; 
3. The Energy Efficiency Directorate; 
4. The Geological Resources Directorate, among others (see Articles 1 and 2 of the Annex to Ministerial Order No. 218/2026/1);
    

2. Flexible organisational units, designated as areas and centres, headed respectively by coordinators, the creation, abolition or modification of which is subject to a decision by the AGE’s installation committee, which is also responsible for defining and approving their respective competences (see Articles 1 and 3 of the Annex to Ministerial Order No. 218/2026/1).

Among the various Core organisational units, particular emphasis should be placed on the Electricity Directorate (DEE), which is entrusted, among other matters, with:

• Ensuring the design, implementation and monitoring of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the electricity sector, particularly in the areas of licensing, safety, efficiency and the inspection of electrical installations; 
• Conducting the licensing procedures for installations forming part of the Public Service Electricity Network (RESP) (see Article 4(a) and (b) of the Annex to the Ministerial Order).

This Ministerial Order entered into force on 13 May 2026. 

For further information on Ministerial Order No. 218/2026/1 of 12 May, please consult the full text here.