Energy Bridge Between Europe and Africa: Portugal and Morocco Seek EU Support for New Project

Portugal and Morocco are undertaking large-scale efforts to create a new energy link that will connect the European grid with the African one. The two countries will request the European Commission to classify the project as an "Important Project of Common European Interest" (IPCEI), which would pave the way for funding from the Union.

The initiative gained new urgency following the serious power outage in Spain and Portugal in April 2025. The incident revealed the critical vulnerability of the Iberian Peninsula – currently, only 3% of its energy capacity is connected to the rest of Europe, while the EU target is to reach 15% by 2030.

Portuguese Minister of Energy Maria da Graça Carvalho emphasized that cooperation between Lisbon and Rabat will strengthen energy security and the links between the two continents. The countries plan to use the "Connecting Europe Facility" mechanism while simultaneously seeking private sector participation to avoid excessive burden on taxpayers and end users.

At the moment, the technical implementation plan has not yet been finalized. Two main options are being discussed: the construction of a new direct undersea cable between Portugal and Morocco, or the optimization of existing infrastructure through Spain, which already has a connection with Morocco.