According to the latest data from the daily economic activity indicator for the week ending on May 4, there was a year-on-year decrease in activity compared to the previous week, primarily reflecting a drop of around 15% on the day of the blackout.
This indicator combines high-frequency data related to economic activity in Portugal, including traffic from heavy commercial vehicles on highways, electricity and natural gas consumption, cargo and mail unloaded at national airports, and purchases made with cards in Portugal by residents and non-residents.
On the day of the blackout, activity measured by these indicators fell by 14.8%, according to the Banco de Portugal (BdP).
On April 28, a widespread power outage left mainland Portugal, Spain, and Andorra almost entirely without electricity, as well as affected parts of France.
The blackout led to the closure of airports, transportation and traffic congestion in large cities, and fuel shortages, among other consequences.
The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity announced the formation of a committee to investigate the causes of this blackout, describing it as “exceptional and severe” and noting that it left Portugal and Spain in darkness.
