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Sunlit terracotta rooftops of Alfama above the Tagus river in Lisbon, Portugal, under a clear summer sky

As Air Conditioning Spreads, EU Home-Cooling Energy Has Doubled Since 2018 — Portugal Ranks Ninth

New Eurostat figures show EU households roughly doubled the energy they spent cooling their homes between 2018 and 2024, driven by fiercer heatwaves and spreading air conditioning. Portugal ranked ninth in absolute cooling use — a mid-table position that looks set to climb as summers lengthen.

The Portugal Brief 09 Jul 2026

High-voltage electricity transmission pylon and power lines against a blue sky in the Algarve, Portugal

Fixed-Price Power Contracts and Tougher Cut-Off Protections Arrive at the End of August

A decree-law taking effect at the end of August will force Portugal's largest energy suppliers to offer one-year fixed-price contracts and will bar cutting off vulnerable customers during peak summer and winter. A minimum 1.5 kVA supply, automatic social-tariff transfers and tailored payment plans a

The Portugal Brief 09 Jul 2026

A Galp petrol station with its red-and-white canopy and a fuel-price board beside a road in the Algarve, Portugal, under a clear blue sky

Undeclared Fuel Imports Have Cost the State an Estimated €1.1 Billion in Tax Since 2023, an Industry Study Warns

An industry study estimates that fuel entering Portugal without being properly declared for tax has cost the State about €1.1 billion in lost ISP and VAT over three years — roughly €460 million in 2025 alone. It is a fuel-sector estimate, not an official tally, but the Government has already tighten

The Portugal Brief 09 Jul 2026

Rows of tan-coloured mid-rise apartment blocks lining a hillside on the outskirts of Lisbon, Portugal, above scrubland beside a road

EU Auditors Cannot Prove €43 Billion in Home-Renovation Money Saved Any Energy, and Portugal Drew From the Same Pot

After €43 billion of post-pandemic home-renovation spending through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the European Court of Auditors says the EU still cannot prove the money saved much energy. Portugal drew on the same fund for its own €240 million building-efficiency drive.

The Portugal Brief 07 Jul 2026

A fuel pump nozzle inserted into the tank of a maroon car at a filling station

Pump Prices Climb Again This Week, but a Bigger Fuel-Tax Rebate Cushions the Rise

From Monday 6 July, diesel is expected to rise about three cents a litre and petrol about two, even as crude weakens. The Finance Ministry is lifting its ISP fuel-tax rebate to offset part of the increase, leaving averages near EUR1.80 for diesel and EUR1.90 for petrol.

The Portugal Brief 05 Jul 2026

Rows of photovoltaic solar panels across a green hillside at a Portuguese solar power plant under a clear blue sky

Portugal Sends the Last Coal Plant's Spare Grid Capacity to Auction, Offering 300 MW at Pego to Renewables Only

The government is auctioning 300 MW of grid-connection capacity at the Pego node — where Portugal's last coal plant closed in 2021 — reserved for renewables only. It sits alongside a 750 MW battery-storage auction, part of a post-blackout push for grid resilience.

The Portugal Brief 04 Jul 2026

A person refuelling a silver car by hand at a petrol station pump

Spain's Plenergy Bets €17 Million on Undercutting Portuguese Pump Prices by Up to 20 Cents a Litre

Spanish low-cost retailer Plenergy is investing up to €17 million to expand across Portugal, pricing fuel 15–20 cents a litre below the majors via domestic sourcing, automation and no convenience stores. Seven stations already trade; it targets 35–40 by end-2026, at least one per district.

The Portugal Brief 03 Jul 2026

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