The scheme calls for the construction of four dams – Gouvaes, Padroselos, Alto Tamega and Daivoes.

Four power plants will also be built in the scheme – two pump turbine facilities with total capacity of 900MW, and two conventional generation plants with 234MW of total capacity.

In total, the plants are expected to generate approximately 2000GWh of electricity per year. The high proportion of pump turbine capacity will ensure the scheme can contribute significantly to meeting peak power demand need on the grid.

The scheme, in northern Portugal, is to be completed by 2018.