The Portuguese government guaranteed on Wednesday, September 9, that it maintains a "good relationship" with State Grid, the Chinese state-owned company that is the largest shareholder in REN (Redes Energéticas Nacionais). The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, stated in Parliament that there were no issues with the Chinese public company holding a significant position in the electricity and gas transmission company, underscoring that there is continuous "dialogue and work."
The minister recalled that the State recently purchased 14% of REN, which now gives it the capacity to influence the company's decisions from within. Maria da Graça Carvalho explained that this stake "is another tool to defend the public interest in a company essential to defending the energy system," allowing the State to increase its influence.
When questioned by Liberal Initiative deputy Jorge Miguel Teixeira about the connection between the State's return to REN and a possible decrease in electricity prices, the minister replied that to lower prices it is necessary to increase the percentage of solar and renewable energy, which have lower costs than other technologies. According to Maria da Graça Carvalho, "it is a matter of time" and the state stake is an additional tool to influence decisions in the country's interest.
The purchase of this 14% stake in REN was discussed by the government during Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's official visit to China in September 2025.
