"No limits on potential actions, yet no evidence of a cyber assault"
In the heart of Lisbon, during a unexpected Council of Ministers meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence, Luis Montenegro shared some enlightening revelations with the press. His destination next? REN - Redes Energeticas Nacionais.
"We ain't got the smoke coming from Portugal, mate. Everything's pointing to Spain, but I'm not jumping to conclusions," he said with a shrug. He mentioned the collaboration with the Spanish government is in full swing now.
The Prime Minister, not one to mince words, acknowledged that their intelligence services are working overtime to get to the bottom of this mystery. Asked if a potential cyber attack was being excluded, he took a measured response.
"Nah, wouldn't call it ruled out, but nothing's pointing that way, as of now," he said with a firm nod.
He emphasized that the top priority is restoring power and tackling the most pressing situations.
"Want to send a message of calm here, got all crisis cabinets and emergency plans in place, keepin' focus on safeguardin' essential services, we got the internal security system's crisis cell active, collectin' all info to get a better grip on this problem," he said with a determined tone.
Montenegro made it clear that he has been kept informed by the President of the Republic, the Assembly of the Republic, and the Secretary-General of the Socialist Party, and has also been in regular contact with the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez.
REN confirmed today that a massive power outage hit the entire Iberian Peninsula, and plans for the staged restoration of energy supply are in motion.
The blackout occurred at 11:30 Lisbon time.
News worth readin': Rui Tavares calls for immediate communication with the population
Bit More Context:
Turns out, the massive power outage on April 28, 2025, at 12:33 PM (CET) affected more than just Portugal. Parts of Spain, Andorra, and southern France were also plunged into darkness. Essential services like hospitals, transportation systems, and telecommunications were disrupted across the region[1][3].
The cause of the outage is under investigation, but REN suggested temperature variations in Spain might be responsible, causing oscillations in high-voltage power lines and disruptions in system synchronization[2]. There were also reports of a fire damaging a high-voltage power line in southwest France, but this was later debunked by Réseau de Transport d'Électricité[2].
The Spanish cybersecurity agency, Incibe, is exploring the possibility of a cyberattack[2]. As of the latest reports, areas continue to be without power, with potential for some areas to remain so for up to a week, according to REN[2]. Red Eléctrica, Spain's electrical operator, estimated that it could take between six and ten hours to restore service, describing the outage as "exceptional and totally extraordinary"[2]. Both countries have been working tirelessly to restore power and resume normal operations as soon as possible[1][3].
- The crisis of the massive power outage that affected Portugal, parts of Spain, Andorra, and southern France is being actively investigated, with collaboration between the Portuguese and Spanish governments in full swing.
- Ministers are working diligently to restore power and tackle the most pressing situations, with a focus on safeguarding essential services and maintaining internal security.
- REN, the Portuguese national electric grid operator, has confirmed that plans for the staged restoration of energy supply are in motion, following the power outage that occurred at 11:30 Lisbon time.
- In the midst of this general news, Rui Tavares, a prominent figure, has called for immediate communication with the population, highlighting the importance of clear and timely information during such crises.
