Projects in transports dominate the National Investment Programme until 2030
Portugal’s National Investment Programme (PNI) for the period through 2030 foresees the spending of €21.95 billion on projects in the areas of transport, energy and environment.
The Portuguese National Investment Programme (PNI) expects that the country will spend €21.95 billion on projects in the areas of transport, energy and environment until 2030, according to the text to be submitted to parliament on Friday.
The government document, which the Portuguese news agency Lusa has had access to, contains details of 72 different programmes and projects, with the sector of transport and mobility the one receiving the largest slice, at €12.678 billion for a total of 44 projects, representing 58% of the total.
The second-largest is energy, at €4.93 billion, for eight projects, constituting 23% of total investment. The environment is next, at €3.57 billion for 18 projects, 16% of the total.
Other investments include above all in irrigation, with €750 million or 3% of the overall amount, and multi-sectoral studies and projects on which €22 million is to be spent.
As regards sources of financing, according to the document, the state itself is to bear the highest burden, of €12.916 (59%), including €5.75 billion from the European Union, €1.5 billion from reduced charges from public-private partnerships (PPP) and €4 billion from the general state budget. The private sector is to provide €7.568 billion (35% of the total) and public enterprises €1.466 billion (6%).
Portugal’s railways are to receive €4.04 billion if investment, including a programme of capacity building and an increase of speeds on the Porto-Lisboa route (costing €1.5 billion). As a result, the document calculates, 30% more passengers should be carried and 40% more freight, equivalent to a reduction of 100,000 lorry trips per year.
Mobility and public transport are allocated €3.39 billion in investment, above all in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto, including their metro systems and measures to reduce carbon emissions. Highways are to receive €1.625 billion in investment, including several road safety programmes and road-widening projects.
The airport sector is to receive €707 million, of which €507 million is to be in Lisbon.
The seaport sector is to receive €2.488 billion.
After its submission to parliament, the PNI with any amendments is to be forwarded to the Higher Council of Public Works.
The PNI covers projects or programmes with investment exceeding €75 million in national infrastructure located in mainland Portugal, over a period of 10 years.
LUSA