EDP was founded in 1976 by the Decree-Law nº502/76, resulting from the merger of 13 of the 14 sector companies existing at the time, which had been previously nationalised.

Generate well being and increase quality of life and of the environment, promoting optimism and social dynamism.

EDP Group is an Energy Solutions Operator which operates in the business areas of generation, supply and distribution of electricity and supply and distribution of gas. EDP is present in Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Poland, Romania, United States and Brazil.

See also:
Business Units

EDP - Energias de Portugal, S.A.
www.edp.pt

EDP Gestão da Produção de Energia, S.A
www.a-nossa-energia.com

EDP Distribuição - Energia, S.A.
www.edpdistribuicao.pt

EDP Comercial - Comercialização de Energia, S.A.
Residencial
Empresas

HC Energía
www.hcenergia.es

Energias do Brasil
www.energiasdobrasil.com.br

EDP Renováveis
www.edprenovaveis.com

Naturgas
www.naturgasenergia.com

EDP Serviço Universal
www.edpsu.pt

The structure and the organisation of EDP Group's companies can be seen at EDP Companies.

For information concerning the number of EDP Group's employees, please visit Key Data.

> In Portugal, both the electricity and the gas sectors are regulated by ERSE - Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços Energéticos (www.erse.pt)

> In Spain the energy systems are regulated by the CNE - Comisión Nacional de Energía (www.cne.es)

> In Brazil, the electricity sector is regulated by the ANEEL - Agência Nacional de Energia Eléctrica (www.aneel.gov.br)

The Shareholders Meeting realised on March 2006, approved a new dualist and hetero-supervised corporate governing model. This model is characterised by the existence of a General and Supervisory Board and an Executive Board of Directors.

The General and Supervisory Board, which has independent personalities amongst its 17 directors, is responsible for monitoring and supporting the Executive Board of Directors, the Statutory Auditor and the External Auditor.

The Executive Board of Directors, with 7 directors, is responsible for managing the company's activities under the terms of the Company's Code and the Articles of Association.

See also:
Governing Bodies

> Chairman of the General and Supervisory Board - Mr. António de Almeida
> President of the Executive Board of Directors - Mr. António Mexia

See also:
Governing Bodies

The existence of a Sustainability and Environmental Department (DSA) integrated in the Corporate Centre reflects the importance of sustainability to the EDP Group and a commitment with the community in what concerns to the environmental, social and economical impact of its activities.

EDP publishes every year, together with its institutional and corporate governance reports, a sustainability report, in order to contribute to an easier appraisal of its sustainability policy.

Additionally, EDP develops its activities, bearing in mind the balance between the economic, environmental and social realities, through 8 principles of sustainable development:

1. Value creation;
2. Efficient resources' utilisation;
3. Environmental protection;
4. Integrity;
5. Dialogue with the interested parties;
6. Human resources' management;
7. Promotion of the access to the electricity energy;
8. Support to social development.

See also:
Sustainability
 

EDP and the companies that were the base of its foundation consistently gave a key contribution to the electrification of the country, taking electric energy to the most isolated locations in Portugal. The economic performance of the last decades, which drove up domestic and industrial electricity consumption, has been requiring EDP a strong effort on the development of new generation capacity.
 Being one of the largest Portuguese companies, EDP is one of the major employers in Portugal. Its social responsibility with its employees goes far beyond the employment relation.EDP has been sponsoring different activities in the areas of sports and culture. EDP Foundation is today the privileged vehicle to develop the patronage activities of the Group.

No.
Since 1993 there are other companies with an important presence on electricity generation - Tejo Energia and Turbogás.
On the electricity supply business, the progressive liberalisation, since 1999 allows eligible clients to transact to the liberalised system and select its energy supplier.