During 2023, E-REDES invested around 21 million euros in inspection and intervention actions in protection zones, covering around 21,000 hectares of fuel management strips next to power lines, with the aim of improving the quality of service and the safety of power grids. This is an increase of 27% in investment compared to 2022 and more than 40% in the area under intervention, with 21,000 hectares in 2023 compared to 15,000 in 2022.
With a clear focus on the energy transition, since 2021 we have been investing in the inspection of overhead lines using drones, having started the GridDrone pilot, with a view to saving resources and reducing carbon emissions. In 2023, with the roll-out of this project completed, in addition to increasing the efficiency, robustness and safety of the systematic inspection process of the high and medium voltage network, we achieved a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions. These results were possible thanks to the increasing use of drones in inspections, with E-REDES having inspected 11,400 kilometers of MV overhead lines using drones, out of around 23,000 kilometers inspected by 2023. This represents around 60% of lines inspected by drone, surpassing the number of kilometers inspected by helicopter for the first time in one year.
The expectation is that by 2024 the use of drones will be even greater, pointing to a 70% use of drones in the total number of inspections to be carried out, which will be around 21,700 kilometers inspected.
With an aerial network of 179,000 kilometers, 28,000 of which are installed in forest areas, we are present throughout mainland Portugal. The infrastructures that make up the public service electricity networks are of public utility and are part of the concessions granted to E-REDES. At the different voltage levels, safety regulations stipulate that E-REDES has a duty to carry out maintenance and ensure the upkeep of power lines, based on regular and methodical inspections, suitable for monitoring compliance with safety distances within the protection zone.
The growing investment in vegetation management, whether by drone or helicopter, is justified by the revision of municipal plans under the new Forest Fire Protection Act, along with the rising cost of all vegetation-related tasks. In the last decade, 195,000 hectares have been intervened in vegetation management, which represents an investment of 100 million euros.
