The tariff debt of the electric sector is expected to fall by 529 million euros in 2027, to 552 million euros, the lowest level since 2010 and about half of what was projected for 2026, according to ERSE.
The reduction “contributes to the sustainability of the electrical system,” said the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE) in a Q&A document accompanying the 2027 tariff proposal.
The tariff debt arose when the actual costs of the National Electric System (SEN) exceeded the tariffs approved by the regulator to avoid sharp increases in the bills of households and businesses.
The tariff debt has been decreasing since 2024, a year in which it stood at 1,995 million euros, falling to 1,589 million euros in 2025.
In 2026, it is expected to retreat to 1,081 million euros, 508 million euros less than in the previous year.
According to the data provided, since 2010 (1,892 million euros), the peak was reached in 2015, when the debt value reached 5,080 million euros.
On Wednesday, ERSE proposed a 1.5% increase in the price of low-voltage electricity in the regulated market for 2027.
“In the regulated market of continental Portugal, the transitional tariffs for selling to final customers in Normal Low Voltage (BTN) show, on average, a variation of 1.5%, between December 2026 and January 2027,” read a statement issued by the regulator.
In October, consumers who remained in the regulated electricity market already saw their electricity bill rise by about 2.7%.
Considering this extraordinary rise, the 2027 annual variation relative to the average price of the year 2026, which already includes the energy tariff update that came into effect on October 1, 2026, rises to 3.7%.
This proposal is subject to the Tariff Council’s opinion, with the regulator having until December 15 to publish the tariffs and prices that will take effect from January 1.
