Order No. 1135/2026 | Recognition of High Demand Areas and opening of exceptional procedure for allocating capacity to the RESP
Meet The Law - Energy & Climate Change
Within the framework of Decree-Law No. 80/2023 of 6 September - which establishes the exceptional procedure for the allocation of connection capacity to the grid for electricity consumption installations in high demand areas (ZGP) - Order No. 1135/2026 of 2 February was published today, determining two essential aspects within the scope of the relevant procedure:
1. The recognition of the entire mainland territory covered by the Public Electricity Service Network (RESP) as a single ZGP; and
2. The opening of the exceptional procedure for the allocation of grid connection capacity to the RESP in the above-identified zone, under the terms and conditions laid down in Decree-Law No. 80/2023 of 6 September.
The recognition of a single ZGP covering the entire mainland territory reflects the increasing pressure placed on the RESP, resulting from the growing number of connection requests submitted by large-scale electricity consumption installations (power greater than 20 MW). This pressure has intensified across the mainland territory as a whole, thereby requiring the adoption of a consistent and uniform response, avoiding the need for the successive designation of additional ZGPs.
Accordingly, for the purposes of Article 3(1)(a) and Article 4 of Ministerial Order No. 15/2026/1 of 9 January, which regulates the said exceptional procedure, following the opening of that procedure, the next step will be the launch of a public consultation, aimed at the submission of expressions of interest by entities interested in the allocation of grid connection capacity to the RESP. The public consultation is to take place within five working days from the date on which the present Order takes effect.
The notice of the public consultation will be published by the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) in the Portuguese Official Gazette (Diário da República), in accordance with Article 4(2) of the Ministerial Order No. 15/2026/1 of 9 January.
The present Order shall take effect on the day following its signature.
For further information, please consult the full text of Order No. 1135/2026 of 2 February, here (only available in Portuguese).
