Water EDP claims in Sines is “property of the State”

Maria da Graça Carvalho, who spoke at a parliamentary hearing on the Environment Committee, explained that the government took the legitimate possession of water taking and passed it on to the company Águas de Santo André.

“ This has to do with a public good, because water is public and because of the environmental impacts ", said the minister, saying that it displeased the EDP's decision to present a precautionary measure.

About two months ago EDP presented a precautionary measure regarding the transition from water intake to the management of the Waters of Santo André. The water outlet, in S. Torpes, served to cool the EDP thermoelectric power plant, which was dismantled.

The minister, who answered a question about whether the water was already being used for a data center, said that the injunction procedure was resolved and that the central case is now in court. “But we assume that water taking is the property of the state,” he stressed.

Also questioned about the energy and water expenditures of the data centers, the minister explained that data centers are not considered an electro-intensive sector and therefore are not priority regarding energy, as is an industry.

As for the water needs, the Portuguese Environment Agency evaluates the projects and is required to data centers that present cooling solutions, which does not necessarily have to go through the use of water, said.

Then it is done “with all rigour” an environmental impact study, said the minister, not denying that there is a “government strategy” to attract “payable” data centers, which will always have to go through “these sieves” of energy, water and evaluation.