The US State Department, led by Marco Rubio, praised Portugal's entry into the capital of REN (Redes Energéticas Nacionais), the company responsible for electricity and gas transportation. In August, the State purchased 14% of the company for 380 million euros, including a premium of 55 million, from an investment company owned by the Zara owner, Amancio Ortega. Washington closely followed the entry of Chinese state-owned companies into the capital of Portuguese energy companies such as REN and EDP over the past decade.
The State Department spokesperson stated that "energy security is national security" and that Portugal has been taking important steps to strengthen the resilience of its critical infrastructures. The ministry stated that trust is important when it comes to critical infrastructures, including who owns and controls the systems that keep electricity and the economy running.
The new US ambassador to Portugal, John Arrigo, had already criticized Chinese companies during his nomination hearing at the Senate in July 2025, questioning whether it was appropriate for Chinese companies to own energy companies in Portugal.
Portugal was the only one of the 27 member states of the European Union that did not hold a stake in the national transmission operator. The government of Luís Montenegro defended the decision as essential to accelerate investments in the electricity grid for renewable energy projects. Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho revealed that the executive had been preparing the purchase since 2024 and that she addressed the issue during an official visit to China in September 2025, having guaranteed that they had no issues with one of the shareholders being a Chinese public company.
