EDP has started operations at Portugal’s first onshore hybrid hydro and solar energy project. The new facility, located in the municipalities of Mação and Proença-a-Nova in central Portugal, combines 90,000 solar panels with the existing Pracana hydroelectric plant on the Ocreza River. The combined complex delivers a total capacity of 89 MW and is expected to generate enough electricity to supply around 51,800 households.
The photovoltaic portion of the project has a capacity of 48 MW and is integrated with the Pracana dam’s existing hydropower infrastructure, which dates back to 1951 and has a capacity of 41 MW. EDP states that this hybrid approach maximizes use of both renewable resources and existing distribution networks while reducing operating costs and environmental impact.
According to EDP, “The group’s investment in hybridisation enables increased renewable energy production through existing infrastructure, particularly distribution networks, reducing operating costs and minimising environmental impact, while strengthening generation capacity in a context of lengthy licensing processes.”
Construction on the solar plant began in January 2025. EDP reports that over 30,000 hours were worked without accidents during construction, with up to 150 workers involved at peak times.
This project is EDP’s sixth hybrid development in Portugal and its eleventh on the Iberian Peninsula. Including similar projects such as Golancz in Poland, EDP now operates twelve multi-technology parks across Europe. In addition to Pracana, other recent hybrid parks include Charneca das Lebres in Aljezur (Portugal) and Las Lomillas in Cuenca (Spain). In Portugal alone, EDP also manages two facilities that combine hydropower with floating solar panels: Alto Rabagão in Montalegre and Alqueva in Moura.
The company estimates that integrating these technologies at Pracana will avoid approximately 35,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
The Pracana complex reflects EDP’s continued focus on expanding renewable energy options by using innovative approaches within existing infrastructure.
