Lisbon, Feb. 2, 2026 (Lusa) - The European Commission on Monday expressed solidarity with Portugal in the face of the impacts of bad weather, advocating a coordinated response, recourse to the solidarity fund and investment in more resilient electricity networks.

The message was reinforced today by the Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, who visited Portugal to discuss energy and housing policies and took part in a press conference with the Minister for the Environment and Energy after a bilateral meeting.

Maria da Graça Carvalho said that the Portuguese Government has been working "from the outset" with the European Commission to determine the best way to mobilise European support in response to the damage caused by Storm Kristin.

"The Portuguese Government is coordinating and working with the European Commission to define the best way to mobilise aid in this disaster," said the minister at the joint press conference.

Maria da Graça Carvalho thanked, through the commissioner, the messages of solidarity from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, addressed to the Prime Minister and Portugal, stressing that various European funding options are being evaluated.

According to the minister, an initial assessment of the damage is underway to gauge possible access to the European Union (EU) solidarity fund, as a minimum amount of €1.6 billion is required, while contacts are ongoing regarding other possibilities for support, coordinated by the Minister for the Economy, Manuel Castro Almeida.

Today, the European Commission confirmed that it had not received any requests from Portugal to amend the Recovery and Resilience Plan in the regions affected by Storm Kristin, or to activate the European civil protection mechanism, urging instead the use of the solidarity fund.

The minister highlighted the coordination between public and private entities in the energy sector, emphasising the efforts of the electricity network infrastructure managing company REN and electricity distributor, E-Redes, to restore electricity supply after the storm left around 1.1 million customers without power.

For his part, Dan Jørgensen expressed "solidarity with the families of the victims of the terrible storm" and with "the thousands of people suffering from the lack of electricity and other very serious consequences".

"What I can say very clearly is that we in the European Commission stand in solidarity with Portugal and will do everything in our power to help in this difficult situation," he said.

The European Commissioner praised Portugal's strategy of rapidly deploying renewable energy, considering it "very successful" and a "good example" for the rest of Europe.

According to Dan Jørgensen, the EU faces two major challenges: lowering energy prices and strengthening energy resilience and security, while at the same time decarbonising the economy to combat climate change, objectives that require a strong commitment to renewables.

To this end, he argued, a "more future-proof" network system is needed, planned at European level and with greater cross-border interconnection, a framework to be worked on in the future European package for electricity networks ("grid package").

The Commissioner said that the European Commission is reviewing energy licensing rules, considering that the current processes "take too long", and said he counts on Portugal "as one of the leaders" in accelerating these reforms.

He stressed the importance of strengthening the interconnections between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, particularly with France, adding that the Commission's proposal for the next long-term EU budget reflects this priority.

The passage of the Kristin depression through mainland Portugal in the early hours of last Wednesday caused at least five deaths, according to Civil Protection, as well as several injuries and displaced persons.

Leiria, where the depression entered the territory, Coimbra and Santarém are the districts that have suffered the most damage.

The Government has declared a state of calamity until 8 February.

SCR/AYLS // AYLS

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