The Ministry of Environment and Energy ordered the preparation of “an exhaustive report on the safety conditions” of Portuguese dams, an assessment that will be led by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), it was announced this Sunday.
“The Minister of Environment and Energy ordered the preparation of an in-depth report on the conditions under which activities related to the safety of Portuguese dams are carried out, in order to reinforce supervision in an essential sector for the country“, explains the guardianship, in a statement.
According to Maria da Graça Carvalho’s office, Portugal currently has 263 large dams covered by the Dam Safety Regulation, in addition to a much higher number of small infrastructures covered by the Small Dam Regulation, essential for multiple uses, particularly agricultural.
The ministry justifies this “exhaustive and updated technical assessment” with “increasing legal complexity, aging infrastructure, the entry of new operators and the effects of climate change”.
APA, as the national dam safety authority, is responsible for preparing the report, in conjunction with sector entities, including the National Dam Safety Commission.
“The Government instructed APA to prepare this report, which updates and deepens the characterization of national dams from a safety point of view, inventories and prioritizes intervention and financing needs and evaluates the available means, and presents proposals for operational improvement“, highlights the ministry, adding that the costs will be borne by the Environmental Fund, managed by the Climate Agency.
Quoted in the statement, Maria da Graça Carvalho highlights that this report, to be delivered within 12 months, “will allow us to identify vulnerabilities, prioritize interventions and ensure that the country is prepared to respond to present and future challenges”.