Minister warns of possible localised power cuts, calls for restraint

With the entire country focused on the ongoing heatwave, the list of do’s and don’ts is growing by the minute.

Aside from the prohibitions introduced by the ‘situation of alert’, that will effectively remain in place until Tuesday, we now have the minister of environment and energy appealing for restraint – for people to ‘conserve water’, and use electricity knowing that it might peg out.

Maria de Graça Carvalho admits that the heat could see ‘such a demand for electricity’ (to power air conditioning units/ fans, etc.) that some areas will suffer power outages.

Speaking in Galicia, where she inaugurated the new electricity interconnection between Portugal and Spain, the minister assured the country’s water resources remain secure, but, she said, some local supply systems are coming under exceptional pressure.

“It is not a question of a lack of water in rivers or reservoirs (…) The issue is with the supply systems themselves because water consumption is above normal. I would like to ask people, as far as possible, to save water and use only what is essential for their health and daily lives.”

The minister conceded that increased use of air conditioning could place additional strain on the electricity network – raising the possibility of isolated outages, despite Portugal’s resilient grid.

“Some European countries affected by this heatwave have experienced local power cuts because of electricity demand,” she said. “We have a stable network, and the new interconnection inaugurated today further strengthens that stability.”

Saying she hopes Portugal will avoid blackouts, the minister acknowledged that they could occur during periods of exceptionally high demand. Anyone who can remember the ‘Iberian Blackout’ of April, 2025, will recall that water supplies also floundered (as the pumping stations require electricity to function).

“It is natural that heavy use of air conditioning and electricity can lead to localised power cuts,” she said. “Our network is very resilient, but we cannot rule out that this could happen, as it has in France and other European countries.”

The comments came as the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere extended its highest-level red heat warning until Sunday across much of mainland Portugal.

Ten districts will be under the red alert on Friday and Saturday, including Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria, Santarém, Portalegre, Évora and Beja. Forecasts indicate maximum temperatures could reach 44ºC, while overnight lows are expected to remain unusually high, between 24ºC and 28ºC.

Earlier this week, the General Health Directorate issued guidance to municipalities, urging them to identify and monitor vulnerable residents, carry out preventive welfare checks and home visits where necessary, and open temporary cooling centres.

The health authority also recommended extending opening hours at libraries, public swimming pools and other air-conditioned public facilities, ensuring access to drinking water, increasing shaded areas in public spaces and adjusting outdoor municipal work schedules to reduce heat exposure.

Portugal’s hospitals have activated the lowest level of their heatwave contingency plans as authorities continue to monitor the evolving situation.

As this text went up online, the government announced the ‘situation of alert’, starting at midnight tonight, will remain in place until midnight on Monday.

Source: LUSA