E-REDES has been responding to power failures across most of mainland Portugal, in the face of the very adverse weather conditions that have been affecting the entire country, from north to south. The electricity distribution network has proven resilient in the face of these weather conditions. The faults have been resolved, despite the difficult working conditions, in parallel with the extraordinary focus that has been maintained on the area most affected by the Kristin depression.
In this area, power has been restored to around 970,000 customers. However, around 30,000 customers remain without power, which continues to justify all the efforts we have been making, uninterruptedly since the start of the work, to resolve the situation.
The total number of customers without power on the mainland varies depending on faults, most of which are caused by weather conditions. As of 8:00 a.m. today, 11 February, 39,000 customers are affected.
After two weeks, the recovery of affected customers reflects the enormous effort made on the ground and the gradual recovery of the network, despite the technical complexity and adverse weather conditions that continue to affect some interventions.
The extent of the damage caused by this extreme weather event is unprecedented in the history of the national electricity grid:
- Over 6,300 kilometres of network affected
- 24 substations impacted
- Over 5,800 poles damaged
- Around 8,700 secondary substations affected
Total mobilisation of human and technical resources
The response to the emergency situation involved an exceptional mobilisation of resources, with around 2,500 personnel currently on the ground, including teams from other countries, namely E-REDES Spain and other European network operators, in a clear demonstration of cross-border cooperation.
The operation also has the support of:
- 30 drone teams and 2 helicopters to identify damage and assess areas that are difficult to access;
- 5 mobile power stations and 540 generators are providing temporary power to critical locations such as schools, day centres and transformer stations, and are being mobilised to new locations as the grid is powered up.
- Reinforcement of satellite communications capacity and activation of Starlink kits to ensure permanent coordination;
- Extraordinary reinforcement of customer support services across all service channels;
- Dedicated institutional relationship management teams in constant contact with the government, local authorities, local authorities and the media.
E-REDES urges the public to be cautious of the risks arising from the effects of the storm damage, warning of the possible existence of fallen power lines and loose cables on public roads.
If you identify any of these situations, report them immediately via the Digital Counter or by calling 800 506 506 (free call).
All reports made will be duly recorded and followed up as quickly as possible, depending on resource management and the prioritisation of interventions.
