Maria Cristina Portugal 2022 Award

RELOP announces the opening of applications for the Maria Cristina Portugal 2022 Award, which aims to distinguish the best technical article on the theme “Energy Transition”.

This is the second edition of the “Technical Regulation Awards” renamed “Maria Cristina Portugal Award”, in honour of the former executive director of RELOP, the driving force behind this project, who passed away in 2021.

This Award aims to recognise the excellence of the regulatory staff of the RELOP member entities and to promote knowledge sharing.

The competition is composed of an international jury, representing three continents, and for which each of the RELOP Board members nominated a personality:

– Professor António Chivanga Barros, Professor at the Department of Engineering and Technology of the Polytechnic Institute of Technology and Science (ISPTEC)

– Professor Renato Lima, Consultant of the Monitoring Unit of the State Enterprise Sector (UASE) and Advisor for regulation of the Ministry of Finance

– Professor Vítor Santos, Permanent Professor at the Institute of Economics and Management of the University of Lisbon (ISEG)

In addition to a certificate and publication of the article on the RELOP website, the winner will receive an invitation to present the article at an international event under the sponsorship of the Association.

The deadline for submissions is open until 21 March 2023.

To be considered for the competition, the articles must have as author or co-author an employee of a RELOP member entity.

Good luck to the candidates!

Maria Cristina Portugal, a lawyer by education, held prominent positions in the energy sector in recent years. She passed away on 8 September 2021.

Maria Cristina was President of the Board of Directors of the Energy Services Regulatory Authority – ERSE, since 2017, where she also held positions as Member of the Board of Directors of ERSE and President of the Tariff Board for 15 years.

Before joining ERSE, Maria Cristina was Vice-President of the Consumer Institute and held the position of Member of the European Commission’s network of experts for a Common Frame of Reference on European Contract Law, where she previously represented the position of technical advisor and Member for the Reform of Consumer Law and the Consumer Code; before that she was a member of the Lisbon District Council of the Bar Association.

Quote: Her contribution to the development of the Portuguese energy sector was decisive, as was her role in stabilising the regulatory framework that allowed for the major boost of renewable energies” – João Pedro Matos Fernandes (former Portuguese Minister for the Environment and Climate Action).