The Portuguese State spent 800 million euros to re-enter REN (Rede Elétrica Nacional) and acquire full ownership of Águas de Portugal. This value represents a significant investment by the government in recovering two strategic public sector companies.
The amount of 800 million is equivalent to the estimated expenditure on the extraordinary bonus for pensioners. This coincidence of values allows for a sense of the magnitude of the state investment in these two companies.
The operation to re-enter REN and the full acquisition of Águas de Portugal represent a reversal of privatization policies implemented by previous governments. The State decided to recover control of these companies considered strategic for the country.
This expenditure of 800 million euros comes in a context of multiple fiscal and social measures implemented by the government, including the income tax reduction, whose estimated cost is similarly comparable to the amount spent on these acquisitions.
