Azores Parliament Flags Delay in Santa Maria Wind Farm Commissioning

The Socialist Party group in the Azores legislature has questioned the postponed start‑up of the new Santa Maria wind farm. Deputy Joana Pombo Tavares noted that the upgraded turbines were installed in the last quarter of 2025 but remain idle, leaving the island without the expected boost in renewable electricity.

The party has asked the regional government to clarify which licences and complementary works are still pending, why the planned energy‑storage systems have not been funded, and what the revised commercial‑operation date will be. In a parliamentary hearing earlier this year, the Empresa de Eletricidade dos Açores (EDA) acknowledged regulatory bottlenecks and financing shortfalls affecting several projects, including the storage installation for Santa Maria. PS Açores seeks details on alternative financing and the anticipated impact of the delay on the island’s renewable‑energy targets and on reducing reliance on the central thermal plant.

The inquiry emphasizes the strategic importance of the wind farm for meeting regional decarbonisation goals and increasing the share of renewable power in the Azores’ electricity system.