Two major solar projects proposed for Beira Baixa are taking different paths. Lightsource bp has cut the planned capacity of Sophia by 34%, while abandoning the Beira scheme in its previously proposed form and location, according to Notícias da Covilhã and independent reporting by Reconquista.
What changes for Sophia
In its announcement of 14 September, the developer says Sophia’s capacity would fall from 867 to around 573 megawatts peak (MWp). The fenced area would shrink by 32%, with the number of separate fenced sections halved from 44 to 22.
The company also proposes replacing two very high voltage lines with one, reducing their combined length from around 44 kilometres to 22 kilometres.
Reconquista, which examined a project summary and interviewed the company’s Portugal director, Miguel Lobo, reports that all panels originally planned for Fundão have been removed. The revised proposal retains panels in Penamacor and Idanha-a-Nova, while Fundão remains part of the electricity connection to the substation.
The redesign follows an APA-led environmental assessment that identified significant and very significant impacts in the original proposal, including on landscape, land use and local social and economic conditions.
Why Beira was dropped
The separate Beira project had been planned for Castelo Branco and Idanha-a-Nova, across more than 500 hectares. According to Observador, Lightsource bp concluded that the changes needed to address environmental objections would make it financially unviable.
The withdrawal concerns the scheme as submitted and that location. Reconquista reports that the company is considering another location.
What happens next
The Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente (APA) told Lusa that the revised Sophia documents must be submitted by 2 October 2026. They will then be published through its environmental assessment system and Participa, followed by a new public consultation lasting 10 working days.
Residents and local organisations will have another opportunity to comment. Those contributions and the revised assessment will inform the environmental decision. The redesign itself does not authorise construction.
