Portugal energy sector shows high concentration among top firms

The Portuguese energy sector is characterized by high market concentration, with the ten largest companies accounting for approximately 78% of the total turnover. According to an Iberinform analysis, the sector's aggregate turnover for companies with available financial data reached 18,831 million euros in 2025. While micro-enterprises make up 75% of the companies in the sector, their collective impact on revenue is significantly lower than that of the major operators.

Geographically, the sector is concentrated in Lisbon, which hosts 38% of the analyzed companies, and Porto, which accounts for 22%. Despite this concentration, the business landscape shows stability, with 54% of companies having operated for more than five years. Financial indicators also improved in 2025, with the average payment period dropping from 33 to 24 days.

Separately, leaders of the Portuguese Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MPME) are calling for stronger public policies to support technological innovation. While SMEs represent over 99% of the Portuguese business fabric, they face significant hurdles in investing in automation, cybersecurity, and digital platforms due to high costs and structural obstacles. Advocates emphasize that without adequate public instruments and administrative simplification, the technological transition may increase inequality between small businesses and large organizations.