en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 13, wave energy technology developer Eco Wave Power disclosed that the Port Authority of Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo (APDL) has initiated repair works on the north breakwater at the Douro River mouth in Porto. The repair scope covers the coastal infrastructure designated for the company's 1 MW wave energy project, though the wave energy equipment has not yet been installed on site.
The breakwater previously sustained localized damage from storms. As the owner of the port infrastructure, APDL is responsible for structural maintenance and reinforcement, and the timing of Eco Wave Power's equipment installation depends on the repair progress and site handover arrangements. Company management plans to travel to Porto in mid-August 2026 for talks with APDL to determine the expected completion date of the breakwater, site access conditions for the project, and the coordination plan for equipment installation.
The two parties will also coordinate the grid connection deadline for the initial phase of the project. APDL intends to provide a formal letter of support for Eco Wave Power's application to the relevant Portuguese authorities for an extension, aligning the regulatory timeline with the breakwater repair and subsequent equipment installation schedule. The project previously targeted grid connection in 2026 as a provisional goal, and Eco Wave Power has accepted the connection conditions proposed by E-REDES, the Portuguese distribution system operator, and has paid an initial installment equivalent to 50% of the connection fee.
The project plans to secure floats to the existing breakwater, using the wave-induced motion of the floats to drive a hydraulic system, with the associated energy conversion equipment housed in "The Gallery" corridor within the breakwater. This approach leverages existing port structures and does not require anchoring major equipment to the seabed offshore.
Eco Wave Power has completed the wave condition and load assessments for the project and submitted a full execution plan to APDL on January 8, 2026. The contractor coordination scope for August 2026 includes civil works, steel structure fabrication, hydraulic systems, electrical engineering, grid connection, and local construction services, with the relevant entities set to undertake project implementation once the breakwater is ready for site access.
The project stems from a concession arrangement signed between Eco Wave Power and APDL in 2020, covering four potential sites managed by APDL, with a planned installed capacity of up to 20 MW and a breakwater usage period of 25 to 30 years. The current 1 MW installation is the first phase, and the remaining 19 MW can only proceed once subsequent agreed conditions are met.
Portuguese official procurement documents show that the repair works for the north breakwater and Molhe do Touro are designated as contract CP_006/2025, with a revised tender base price of €4 million. APDL navigation notices list the impact period for the relevant works as April 17, 2026, to June 1, 2028; this period falls under marine operations and navigation management arrangements, and whether the wave energy project can gain early access to the designated area remains to be determined between APDL and the developer.
