A legal action is being prepared to seek compensation from the Spanish network operator for an incident originating in Spain that left Portugal without electricity for over 10 hours.
As of now, at least six companies are interested in joining the class action, which is expected to be filed by April 28, 2026, the legal deadline.
The final amount demanded from Red Eléctrica may reach tens of millions of euros, considering the process being prepared by a group of Spanish companies, including distribution chains and restaurants.
In Portugal, the companies that have shown interest belong to the plastics and leather industries, but the law firm believes that the case could expand to other sectors.
Barrocas & Associados is also negotiating with an international hedge fund willing to cover legal costs in exchange for a percentage of the potential compensation.
The blackout on April 28 was classified by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) as “exceptional and serious,” with immediate consequences such as airport closures, transportation congestion, and fuel shortages.
A preliminary report released on October 3 confirmed that the blackout originated in Spain and was caused by a series of sudden disconnections of renewable production, followed by a loss of synchronization with the continental European network.
The report, compiled by 45 specialists from grid operators and regulators in 12 countries, classifies the incident as a “scale 3” event — the most severe level under European legislation — and describes it as “the most significant occurrence in the European electric system in over 20 years,” affecting millions and causing severe disruptions in essential services.
Despite the unprecedented nature of the collapse, the network was restored quickly, with Portugal fully recovering its high-voltage connection shortly after midnight and Spain by 04:00 the following day.
