Portugal experienced a nationwide power outage today, April 28, as part of a widespread blackout that also affected Spain, France, and other European countries. The exact cause is still under investigation.
The outage began around 12:30 p.m. local time, severely disrupting airports in major cities including Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. The Lisbon Metro, trains, and traffic lights ceased operation, leading to widespread traffic congestion and the suspension of public transit. Airports in Madeira and the Azores remained unaffected due to their separate power grids.
Operations at Lisbon Airport were severely affected, with approximately 96 departures canceled—about 30% of scheduled flights. Porto and Faro airports operated under emergency conditions with limited services.
The outage’s effects extended beyond Portugal. Dublin Airport in Ireland canceled several inbound and outbound flights to destinations including Faro, Lisbon, and Seville.
The outage caused panic-buying at supermarkets and fuel stations, while mobile phone networks experienced severe limitations. r separate power grids. The Portuguese government declared an energy crisis to prioritize essential services and is coordinating with European partners to address the situation.
As of late Monday evening, approximately 85 of Portugal’s 89 substations were back online, restoring electricity to about one million customers, particularly in Lisbon and the northern regions. However, full normalization of the network could take up to a week.
Leitão Amaro, Portugal’s Minister of the Presidency, suggested that the outage likely originated in Spain and ruled out any internal fault within Portugal. However, agencies in both Portugal and Spain are investigating the possibility of a cyberattack, but so far, no evidence has been found to support this theory.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro confirmed that there is “no indication” the outage was caused by a cyberattack and emphasized that the issue did not originate within Portugal. The Portuguese National Cybersecurity Center also confirmed there was no evidence of a cyberattack.
Portugal’s grid operator, REN, attributed the blackout to a rare atmospheric phenomenon known as “induced atmospheric vibration,” caused by extreme temperature fluctuations. These conditions led to oscillations in high-voltage power lines and synchronization failures across the interconnected European grid.
This explanation was met with skepticism. Some Portuguese officials have suggested the outage could have stemmed from a sudden voltage surge in Spain or a possible fire in southern France damaging a high-voltage line, though French authorities have denied any fire occurred.
Travelers planning to visit or move within Portugal in the coming days are strongly advised to confirm the status of flights, trains, and other transport services before departure; stay informed through announcements from local authorities and transportation providers; and prepare for possible delays and disruptions as recovery efforts continue.
PAJ/Staff
