Portalegre, Portugal
Latest news and stories from Crato.
The new village of Pisão will have 114 homes across 8.1 hectares, with construction starting in 2027. It is intended to be a “replica” of the current village and will be built two kilometres north of the site that will be submerged, near the locality of Monte da Velha.
The Minister of Environment and Energy argued this Friday that the construction works for the Pisão Dam, in Crato, Portalegre district, must proceed “relatively quickly” so as not to jeopardise its funding. “We now have the funding guaranteed, if we do not move relatively quickly we could also put the Sustainable 2030 programme at risk.”
The municipality has “no issues” with hosting the initiative but will maintain “some reservations”. The company expects to complete the project—which includes the construction of an extra-high voltage line—in the fourth quarter of 2030.
Environmentalists have filed an urgent request in court to maintain the suspension of the construction work.
Four non-governmental environmental organisations filed an 'urgent request' this Wednesday to once again suspend construction on the Crato Multi-Purpose Hydraulic Development project, known as the Pisão Dam. They claim the current suspension is not being upheld, while environmental authorities and the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Alentejo argue that nothing prevents work on the site. The Minister of Environment contests these 'dilatory tactics to delay the implementation of investments'.
The accident occurred in the Vale do Peso area, where an off-road motorcycle race was taking place.
A 38-year-old man died and a 25-year-old man was seriously injured in a collision between two motorcycles on a dirt road in the Crato municipality, Portalegre district, this Saturday, March 14, according to Civil Protection. The Alto Alentejo Sub-Regional Command for Emergency and Civil Protection reported that the accident, alerted at 12:12, occurred in the Vale do Peso area, where an off-road motorcycle race was taking place. The 38-year-old's death was declared at the scene by a doctor from the emergency medical vehicle (VMER). The seriously injured man was airlifted by an INEM helicopter to a football field, from where he was to be transferred by ambulance to a hospital in the Lisbon area. A source from the GáfeTTe off-road motorcycle event organization stated that the accident occurred off-track, noting that one of the motorcyclists involved was a participant in the competition. Rescue operations involved 20 personnel from the Crato, Nisa, and Alter do Chão fire departments, the GNR, and INEM, supported by eight vehicles and a helicopter.
The accident occurred on a dirt road. The victim was transported by helicopter to the hospital.
