May 18, 2012
Portugal

Portugal extends wind tariff cuts to existing projects

Richard Weyndling, Windpower Monthly, 18 May 2012, 2:20pm | www.windpowermonthly.com

Following January’s suspension of feed-in tariffs for new wind power projects, the Portuguese economy minister Álvaro Santos has announced tariff cuts for existing wind farms of between €100 and 200 million.

Sources in the economy ministry told WPM that wind power producers will be encouraged to sign up voluntarily to a new, lower rate of feed-in tariffs in return for unspecified, non-financial incentives.

The measure is part of wider cuts in financial support affecting all electricity producers, which, the government claims, is necessary to avoid a 30% rise in electricity bills and to reduce the deficit in the generating sector by €1.8 billion by 2020.

Ministry sources also confirmed that a draft revision of Portugal’s renewables action plan (NREAP) published last month, which drastically cut wind power targets, has been withdrawn. New proposals will go for public consultation next week.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/05/18/portugal-extends-wind-tariff-cuts-to-existing-projects/