Supreme Court rules on ‘administrative silence’ in the electricity sector: “public service” or “service of general economic interest”

The Supreme Court judgment of 10 April 2026 characterises the concept of public service under Article 24(1) of Act 39/2015 as an exception to the ‘double silence’ rule, distinguishing it from the concept of service of general economic interest, which applies in liberalized sectors such as that of electricity supply. The Supreme Court thus concludes that in seeking an authorisation to close a combined-cycle power plant, the ‘double silence’ rule applies to the effect of a presumption of approval.

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