Brussels, Sept. 28, 2026 (Lusa) - The minister for the environment and energy stated on Monday that Portugal does not anticipate any disruption to gas supplies, despite the instability in energy markets caused by the current crisis and the fact that reserves in the European Union (EU) are at historic lows.
«We have suppliers who have, so far, been very reliable, and we therefore do not anticipate any disruption to the gas supply,» said Maria da Graça Carvalho.
Speaking to Portuguese journalists in Brussels following meetings with European Commission officials, the minister pointed out that Portugal, which is one of 18 member states with gas reserves, currently has its storage facilities 94% full ahead of the start of the cold season, although this storage capacity is smaller than that of other countries.
«We have 94% of our reserves [filled], so, on average, we are better off than the rest of Europe, but our reserves are not large; therefore, we have 94% of a reserve that is not very large, but we are managing the situation» and «we are keeping a close eye on things», explained the Minister for Energy.
She highlighted the diversification of Portugal's gas suppliers – from countries such as Algeria, Nigeria, Brazil and the United States – which «have never failed to deliver».
«We have stable contracts and so we expect everything to go smoothly,» she added.
In the face of potential supply problems and increased heating demands in colder countries, there may be a need to share gas reserves amongst the 27 member states of the European Union, bearing in mind that only 18 have storage capacity.
«For the time being, our reserves are practically full, we have secured our supply and we are relatively calm, though concerned and monitoring the situation,» she added.
Portugal's position comes at a time of high volatility in European energy markets.
The European Commission has been assuring that there is no immediate risk to the security of gas supply in the European Union, despite storage levels being lower than in previous years.
Brussels considers that the EU is better prepared today than it was during the 2021–2022 crisis, notably due to the diversification of supply sources, increased import capacity for liquefied natural gas and reduced demand for gas.
The European Commission remains, however, on alert regarding market volatility, given the current energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East, which has led to rises in fossil fuel prices in an EU that remains dependent on imports.
According to the European Commission, there is currently no immediate concern regarding security of supply for the winter of 2026–2027, but market developments continue to be monitored closely.
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