The Liberal Initiative (IL) has highlighted significant vulnerabilities in the country’s preparedness and response to energy crises following a major blackout. The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) rated the incident as the “most severe” on the international scale.
In Portugal, despite having a multi-annual investment plan to enhance energy resilience, the incident exposed serious weaknesses in operational response, the SIRESP system, Civil Protection’s capabilities, and communication with the public,” the statement reads.
The party is particularly concerned about the potential effects of the blackout on hospitals, telecommunications, and transportation systems.
In this context, IL believes that the National Assembly must closely and responsibly oversee the process, despite the ongoing formal investigation, listening urgently and thoroughly to entities involved in managing, regulating, and responding to the incident.
The objective of the hearings is to identify what failed, understand systemic risks, contribute to concrete solutions, technically clarify the causes and associated failures of the April 28 blackout, and assess the preparedness of public entities for energy crisis scenarios,” it states.
IL also aims to pinpoint failures in coordination and communication mechanisms among authorities, present concrete solutions to strengthen the electric grid’s resilience and civil preparedness, and monitor the application of investments planned to mitigate such risks.
Thus, the party requests the urgent hearing of the Ministers of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, Internal Administration, Maria Lúcia Amaral, and Presidency, António Leitão Amaro.
Among the 12 individuals IL seeks to hear in parliament are former Internal Administration Minister Margarida Blasco and presidents of entities such as the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), the National Communications Authority (ANACOM), SIRESP, and the National Energy Sector Entity (ENSE).
IL suggests that these hearings be conducted jointly by three parliamentary committees: the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees, the State Reform and Local Government Committee, and the Infrastructure, Mobility, and Housing Committee.
