Renewable energy accounted for 81% of Portugal’s electricity consumption in February, including exports, according to the latest data from REN, the Portuguese electricity grid operator. Non-renewable production, mainly from natural gas, represented 19%, while the foreign trade balance was positive, contributing around 5% of national consumption.

Hydropower achieved a record productivity index of 1.97—the highest ever for February since REN’s records began in 1971—while wind power also performed above historical averages, with an index of 1.29. In contrast, solar production recorded its lowest productivity index for a February at 0.59 due to unfavorable weather, translating into a year-on-year drop of 19% despite increased installed capacity.

During the first two months of 2026, renewable production supplied 83% of electricity consumption. The breakdown was 39% hydropower, 35% wind, 5% solar, and 4% biomass. Natural gas contributed 17%, with the foreign trade balance practically neutral. Productivity indices for this period stood at 1.62 for hydropower, 1.32 for wind, and 0.60 for solar.

Electricity consumption in February maintained the growth trend observed at the beginning of the year, with a year-on-year increase of 5.2%, or 5.7% when adjusted for temperature and the number of working days. Over the first two months of 2026, total consumption rose 6.6% (5.7% adjusted).

The natural gas market saw significant growth in February, with overall consumption up 24% year-on-year. The electricity production segment drove the increase, surging 83% compared to February 2025, while the conventional segment, which includes other consumers, grew 2.7%. This represented the highest monthly gas consumption since July 2023.

By the end of February, cumulative natural gas consumption had risen 15%, with electricity production up 45% and the conventional segment up 3.8%. The national system relied mainly on the Sines LNG terminal, which supplied 76% of gas consumed. Sources included Nigeria (39%), the United States (24%), and Russia (13%), while the remaining 24% came through the interconnection with Spain.