Regional Government presents new model for regional electricity system at conference at University of the Azores - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral, participated on Tuesday in the conference "Challenges of the Electricity Sector in the Economy of the Azores," held at Amphitheatre VII of the University of the Azores in Ponta Delgada.

At the opening session, the government official highlighted the importance of the event, pointing out that "discussing the challenges facing the electricity sector in the Azores is about discussing the resilience of communities, the competitiveness of the economy and the quality of life of our citizens."

"It is, basically, about planning our future," she continued.

The Regional Secretary praised the coordination between the University, companies and the Public Administration. She defended that "the synergy between scientific knowledge and practice is the best mechanism for responding to the demands of a modern, efficient and environmentally sustainable electricity sector."

During the session, the new organisational model for the Azores Electricity System (SEA) was also presented, with the legislative proposal soon to be considered by the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

"This is a structural law that adapts the national and European framework to the regional reality, respecting the derogation provided for in the European Directive on the internal market for electricity," she explained. The government official added that the new model "maintains the integrated structure of production, transport, distribution and marketing activities, provided by EDA as a public service, but introduces important innovations."

Among these innovations, the Regional Secretary highlighted the introduction of auctions for independent electricity production, the promotion of more predictable sources, such as geothermal energy, and the creation of technological free zones.

The government official also pointed out that the new framework had been "extensively discussed with industry stakeholders. It incorporates relevant technical and legal contributions, providing a balanced solution adapted to the reality of the Region and aligned with European obligations."

During her speech, the Regional Secretary also acknowledged the role of EDA – Empresa de Eletricidade dos Açores, praising the company for “successfully balancing system management with structural investments in renewable energy sources and storage solutions, ensuring stability and reliability of supply.”

The Best MBA Student Award in Business Management from the University of the Azores was also delivered at this session.

The conference was organised by the University of the Azores and EDA. It brought together experts, academics, policy-makers and representatives from the regional energy sector.