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Iberdrola has been granted a production licence by the Portuguese Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) for a 274MW wind project.
The project, which will see an investment of €350m ($369m), will be situated in the districts of Vila Real and Braga in the north of the country.
Iberdrola received the final environmental permit to build the wind farm in June 2024.
The project is to be the first to combine wind energy with hydroelectric energy, and will have a production capacity of 601 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year. It will be integrated into the Tâmega power plant system, a hydroelectric project undertaken with a total investment of more than €1.5bn.
Vestas has been awarded the contract for the wind project, which will see the installation of 38 Enventus V172 turbines.
Each turbine will have a 7.2MW capacity and a height of 114m. A long-term power purchase agreement is expected to be signed for the project.
The wind farm, comprising Tamega Norte and Tamega Sul, is part of a broader agreement with the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, managed by Norges Bank Investment Management.
The integration of wind energy into the sustainable energy transition will enhance the clean, competitive and low-cost energy supply within the Portuguese electricity system.
The synergy between hydropower and wind energy will diminish reliance on environmental conditions and overcome resource scarcity, such as wind availability.
Local companies such as CJR and Conduril-Socorpena will play a role in developing the necessary infrastructure, while Painhas and Proef will assist in constructing the substation and power lines.
During the construction phase, Iberdrola commits to continuous ecological monitoring of birdlife, flora, habitats and archaeology to mitigate potential impacts, discover new minimising solutions and deepen understanding of local biodiversity.
The Tamega power plant consists of the Alto Tamega hydroelectric power plant (160MW), the Gouvaes pumped storage plant (880MW) and the Daivoes power plant (118MW). The latter two have been operational since 2022.
Iberdrola Renewables Portugal managing director Alejandra Reyna stated: “We have taken an important step towards starting the construction of the largest wind farm, and the first hybridisation project to combine wind and hydro energy, in Portugal.
“This project is further evidence of Iberdrola's commitment to promoting the energy transition in Portugal, where it has already invested more than 2 billion euros in renewable energies over the last 20 years.
“The commitment to electrification, through renewable energies and the focus on innovation, shows our commitment to building a sustainable, reliable and affordable future.”