One hundred thousand needy families in Portugal are expected to receive "efficiency vouchers", a measure aimed at reducing energy poverty. The value has a maximum of 1300 euros and can be used for purchases and services.
The Government is set to move forward with a national strategy to combat energy poverty, which affects almost two million Portuguese. One of the measures will involve the distribution of “efficiency vouchers” for the most deprived and whose value can reach 1300 euros.Tender for the vouchers is to be launched in the summer.
These state vouchers, which will cover 100% of the expenses, will allow around 100 thousand families to purchase electric stoves and heaters, and they can also be used to pay for works that improve the energy efficiency of homes. João Galamba, Deputy Secretary for Energy, told journalists that this system will be based on a “network of local suppliers”, which will, in turn, “boost the local economy”.
To iniciate the plan, the Ministry of the Environment will allocate 26 million euros from the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which is part of the 56 million allocated this year to combat energy poverty in Portugal.
In the coming years, João Galamba also plans to spend 130 million euros in the allocation of “efficiency vouchers”.
Energy poverty is a “problem” with “multiple dimensions” , said João Galamba, which affects almost two million Portuguese, who say they are cold at home. Families spend 10% of their monthly income on the energy bill and about 24.4% of Portuguese people live in a house with water or moisture infiltration.
