The Spanish energy group Iberdrola has launched the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for the Minhéu Hydroelectric Power Project, a planned 1,320 MW pumped-storage hydropower facility that would become Portugal’s largest if built.
Designed to operate in reversible mode, the plant will use the elevation difference between two reservoirs—one to be constructed in the Cumeada area on Monte de Minhéu and hydraulically connected to the existing 1.2 GW Alto Tâmega dam, for which Iberdrola holds exclusive water rights. The project aims to enhance the overall efficiency and energy storage capacity of the Alto Tâmega hydroelectric complex, commissioned in 2023. Once operational, Minhéu is expected to generate between 2.5 and 3 TWh/year.
The Alto Tâmega complex already includes the 160 MW Alto Tâmega reservoir, the 880 MW Gouvães pumped storage plant, and the 118 MW Daivões plant, both of which have been commercially operating since 2022.
At the end of 2024, Portugal had a hydroelectric installed capacity of 8.2 GW, accounting for 32% of the total installed capacity and for 37% of the power generation.
Interested in Power Plants?
Enerdata has developed a market research service to screen, monitor and analyse the development of power generation assets.
Power Plant Tracker offers an interactive database and a powerful search engine covering power plants worldwide – including both installed and planned capacities for renewables and fossil fuels.