The National Electricity System (SEN) has reached a new milestone in the integration of renewable resources (solar and wind) into the system services markets, with 1,668 MW of capacity authorised to participate in the Manually Activated Frequency Restoration Reserve (mFRR) market and 340 MW authorised to provide Secondary Control Band services.

System services help to ensure a real-time balance between electricity generation and consumption. Secondary Regulation Energy (aFRR) enables real-time deviations to be corrected automatically, whilst the Manually Activated Frequency Restoration Reserve (mFRR) is used to meet additional system requirements or to replenish the secondary regulation reserve, with deployments decided by the National Electricity Dispatch Operators. In this way, they make a decisive contribution to the balance between generation and consumption, ensuring security of supply.

This enabled capacity from solar and wind generation, as well as storage systems (batteries), increases the range of resources available to provide these services, contributing to more efficient management of the National Electricity System (SEN) and greater integration of renewable energy. Solar and wind resources, together with storage systems, are thus playing an increasingly important role in providing essential services for the operation of the National Electricity System, offering greater security, stability and flexibility. The expansion of the base of authorised resources also contributes to greater efficiency in the operation of the National Electricity System.

This milestone represents a further step in the modernisation and continuous evolution of the Portuguese electricity system, in the adaptation and development of the National Electricity System (SEN) alongside the growing presence of renewable energy sources, whilst maintaining high standards of safety and reliability.