EDP is among the major players in the European electricity sector and is one of the biggest Portuguese business groups.

It plays a key role in the Portuguese economy and the capital market, while consolidating the prestige and image it projects worldwide.

Born out of a merger of the electricity sector's main companies, it was incorporated in 1976. In 1994 it was transformed into a corporate group that staged the largest privatization ever realized in Portugal.

Ensuring most of the Generation, Acquisition, Transmission, Distribution and Sale of electricity in Mainland Portugal - through the Companies constituting its operating nucleus (one generation, one transmission, and four distribution companies - today it serves more than 5 million customers.

EDP also takes part in other independent electrical power production projects of substantial dimensions, especially in cogeneration and biomass power plants.

EDP runs Portugal's largest private telecommunications infrastructure, covering most of its mainland territory. That includes digital phone networks, data transmission networks, INTERNET EDI support resources and e-mail, as well as radio-phone networks.

It is the core shareholder of OPTEP, Empresa de Telecomunicações Globais, S.A., a holding company that coordinates the new telecommunications companies - OPTIMUS, the 3rd cellular phone operator; EDINET (Closed-circuit Groups, Data Communications, Satellite Communications and Internet Services); E3G (general fixed-line network).

EDP banks heavily on the diversification
of its business areas

It has a group of subsidiary companies operating in complementary businesses, such as its Services Companies, HIDRORUMO and PROET - in the Hydraulic and Thermal Engineering areas - and EDINFOR in IT and systems, which have enhanced its competitive role on national and international markets.