50 years building the future of energy

Over the past half-century, our history has been intertwined with the evolution of the electricity sector and the energy transition itself. We began by electrifying a country and, step by step, went on to generate and distribute energy across several continents, with a clear ambition: that energy should be the driving force behind a safer, fairer and more sustainable future.

EDP was founded in 1976 in Portugal, a few years after the 1974 Revolution, following the merger of 13 companies operating in different regions of the country. This integration enabled us to increase the scale of electricity production and distribution, coordinate investments and respond to a simple yet enormous challenge: bringing electricity to everyone in the country. This was the aim of the 1979 Electrification Plan, which stipulated that no settlement with more than 50 inhabitants would be left without access to the electricity grid.

Over the years, new power lines, substations and power stations have shortened distances and brought the inland regions closer to the coast. And the Sines thermal power station, which operated from 1985 to 2021, was one of the cornerstones of this phase, ensuring additional capacity and security of electricity supply in a country experiencing strong economic growth. The increase in consumption was met by several other thermal and hydroelectric power stations.

In Lisbon, the former Central Tejo power station, which had supplied the capital for decades, was converted in 1990 into the Museum of Electricity, now situated next to the MAAT - Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. More than just an exhibition space, it has become a place where the history of energy in Portugal is brought to life for new generations and the whole world.

From the 1990s onwards, our story was no longer solely a Portuguese one. Our international expansion began in Brazil and then Europe (Spain), with generation assets and distribution networks. These were the first geographies in an expansion into key markets that is now taking place across four regions. At the same time, we underwent a process of privatisation: from a wholly state-owned enterprise, we became an open and global company, with new requirements for transparency and governance.

And in the late 1990s, EDP Comercial was established to operate in the liberalised energy retail market, developing innovative and competitive solutions for both residential customers and businesses.

The 2000s marked a period of even greater acceleration and diversification. The creation of EDP Distribuição (now E-REDES) in Portugal consolidated the integrated management of distribution networks at a time when the electricity system was preparing to accommodate decentralised generation. EDP Inovação was also established, with a mission to focus on technology, test new solutions and turn ideas into real projects. And it was here that we began to lay the groundwork, more clearly than ever, for the shift towards a more renewable and digital energy portfolio.

With the establishment of EDP Renewables in 2007, we brought together our renewable energy assets - an area of the group with a strong focus on power generation - under a single entity. When EDPR was listed on the Lisbon Stock Exchange, it cemented its position as one of the world’s leading players in wind energy and, later, solar energy. And our entry into the North American market in 2007 placed us among the world’s largest wind energy producers. At the same time, we expanded our presence into new countries in Europe and other regions, adding power plant after power plant, megawatt after megawatt, to an increasingly renewable electricity system.

This commitment is recognised by the leading sustainability indices. Our presence on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and other international benchmarks reinforce our credibility as a company committed to the energy transition - not only because of the scale of our investments, but also because of the way we integrate environmental, social and governance criteria. The result is clear: we have increased our installed wind and solar capacity, progressively reduced our reliance on fossil fuels, and established decarbonisation as one of the pillars of our business.

Between 2010 and 2026, we continued to consolidate our position as one of the world’s leading energy companies and deepened our commitment to renewable energy. Over the past 15 years, we have strengthened our presence in key markets across Europe, South and North America, and the Asia-Pacific region, and expanded our installed capacity in hydro, onshore wind, offshore wind and solar power - with a particular focus on hybrid power stations - whilst accelerating the closure and sale of coal-fired power stations in Brazil and the Iberian Peninsula.

Alongside this remarkable growth and the rapid shifts in the energy landscape, there is also a growing need for innovative business solutions, brought forward through the development of pilot projects across various sectors, the introduction of autonomous systems and robots in a range of on-site activities, and the use of AI to enhance asset resilience. And, above all, there has been progress in storage, flexibility and hybridisation technologies, such as solar and wind projects or floating solar on dams, with the Alqueva floating solar photovoltaic project standing out in particular.

And the distribution network is keeping pace with this progress, evolving into an increasingly digital, smart and resilient infrastructure. It is also during this period, in 2022, that the ‘We Choose Earth’ vision takes shape, with clear targets for reducing emissions and a commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

Our future is built at the intersection of innovation, networks and people, enabling us to operate more efficiently, anticipate failures and optimise energy use. Collaboration and innovation initiatives with universities, research centres and startups have long been a reality at EDP, and demonstrate how we aim to accelerate responses to major energy challenges. But no technology works without the right people. That is why we continue to invest in a culture of innovation, in talent search and in programmes that bring teams closer to real-world challenges on the ground.

Throughout 2026, we are celebrating these 50 years by looking back at what we have achieved and forward to everything that remains to be built. This is a special year, designed to revisit our history, engage those who are part of it, and open the door to the future we want to shape. The slogan "EDP 50 years. Imagine the next 50" stems precisely from this idea of creating, innovating and imagining. We are using this anniversary slogan as an invitation: to imagine cleaner cities, smarter grids, more resilient communities and more accessible energy.

Celebrating half a century means acknowledging decades of internal transformation and real external impact. On the 50th anniversary page, you can see the 50 milestones that span our history, which crosses borders and oceans. It also features a special message from CEO Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade that, based on the success we have already achieved, charts the course for the future, for the next 50 years. The energy that has brought us this far - built by people, ideas, projects, decisions and purpose - is the same energy that will continue to guide us.

The world is currently facing a period of major geopolitical, economic and climate uncertainty. Global energy demand continues to grow, the need for security and resilience in electricity systems is becoming increasingly apparent, and technology - from digitalisation to artificial intelligence - is reshaping the way we produce, manage and consume energy.

In a scenario like this, imagining the next 50 years is not a mere possibility: it is a commitment. We will focus on smarter, more flexible grids capable of integrating more renewable energy. We will boost energy production, ensuring not only the transition away from current sources but also the creation of new ways to meet future needs. We will ensure that electrification reaches more sectors - transportation, industry, buildings - in a fair and efficient manner. We will create solutions that meet the needs of customers, both residential and business. And we will always put people and communities at the heart of our strategy.

Reaching our 50^th anniversary is a source of pride, but for us, it is above all a commitment to what lies ahead. Everything we have achieved so far gives us the credibility to envision the future and the responsibility to build it with dedication, transparency and ambition.

At EDP, we believe that our story continues to be written, every day, by people, partners and communities around the world. The next chapters depend on our ability to imagine, decide and act - together. And it is with this energy that we embark on the next 50 years.