DGEG, the Portuguese energy authority, brought, at last, long expected news for solar energy promoters: Decision 27/2020 suspends the licensing deadlines for all electrical projects.
As we had alerted, the first measures announced by the Portuguese Government did not protect the Solar promoters from the Covid-19 pandemic' effects. The promoters would be forced to continue complying with their permitting obligations until DGEG would close to the public.
Following the Portuguese Government's measures driven by Covid-19 pandemic emergency, DGEG closed to the public on March 16. Despite DGEG continuing to operate online, this decision suspends all deadlines linked to licensing procedures with effects from that date.
This suspension comprehends the deadlines for all actions and formalities regarding any administrative proceedings run by DGEG, including, but not limited to:
- the deadline for obtaining the relevant operation license (both to promoters who obtained the production license prior to the approval of the Decree-law 76/2019 as well as promoters awarded on the first Portuguese solar auctions in June 2019); and
- the deadline to complete the request for an agreement for the expansion of the public grid, with the corresponding Operator.
The suspension of the deadlines lasts until DGEG announces the end of the suspension, or, if it occurs first, on the date from which the Covid-19 exception situation is withdrawn by the Portuguese Government.
In addition, this decision establishes that new requests, including those to obtain a grid capacity reserve title through an agreement with the Grid Operator, will not be received until the end of April 2020.
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