The Castelo de Bode dam, built on the Zêzere river and inaugurated in the 1950s, is one of the largest strategic water reserves in the country, with a capacity to store approximately 960 billion liters. The infrastructure serves approximately three million consumers in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and neighboring municipalities, being managed by EDP for the hydroelectric component and by the Águas de Portugal group for treatment and supply for human consumption.
The guiding principle for dam management is clear: the absolute priority is water supply for human consumption, with electricity production taking a back seat. There is a minimum level of 100 meters that cannot be exceeded to preserve water for the population, even when it would be technically possible to continue turbine operation. João Baltazar, Director of Asset Operation and Maintenance at EDP, highlights that this reserve increases the territory's resilience in extreme situations.
During the 2022 drought, management was coordinated with the Portuguese Environment Agency, adopting a strategy even more conservative than the permitted limits. Climate change has made this management more demanding, requiring coordination between EDP, APA, and Civil Protection during extreme precipitation events. The water goes for treatment at the Asseiceira station before reaching consumers, and the reservoir's quality is regularly monitored, with results classified as good or excellent.
Castelo de Bode has an average annual production of approximately 300 GWh, equivalent to the consumption of approximately 230,000 people, with each generator unit having 53 megawatts of power. This energy is distinct from solar or wind power because it can be produced when the electrical system needs it. After more than seven decades, the plant has been modernized and is operated remotely, accompanied by more than 250 instruments that monitor its structural behavior.
