Portugal to import extra US, Nigerian LNG, goals to finish Russian provide

LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal plans to extend purchases of liquefied pure fuel (LNG) from the US and Nigeria because it goals to finish already dwindling provides from Russia, Atmosphere Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho mentioned on Tuesday.

Portugal imported 49,141 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of pure fuel in 2024, of which round 96% was LNG, information from electrical energy and fuel grids operator REN exhibits.

Nigeria accounted for 51% of these LNG deliveries, about 40% got here from the US and round 4.4% from Russia.

In 2021, Russia accounted for 15% of Portugal’s LNG provide.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union has applied focused sanctions on Russian oil and fuel imported via pipelines, however has not prevented the import of LNG transported by ship into Europe.

“Portugal is now virtually unbiased of Russian fuel … however we need to cut back this determine additional by importing extra fuel from Nigeria and the US,” Graca Carvalho advised a panel on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, in response to financial web site ECO.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened the European Union with tariffs if nations don’t enhance their purchases of U.S. vitality.

ECO reported the minister urged higher cooperation throughout the 27-nation European Union to make sure vitality independence and safety, saying Iberia was nonetheless an “vitality island” because it had “been tough to construct interconnections with France”.