“It was apparently a problem in the transport network, the reason for which is still being identified, apparently, in Spain,” the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, told Lusa.

The minister also said that the government is working, together with public and private agents, to “as quickly as possible” return to normal energy supply, although without giving a deadline.

“The Government is working together in a monitoring group that was immediately activated. This is a power outage problem that will be affecting many countries in Europe, it will have originated in the transmission network and it is a problem that originated outside Portugal,” he said.

The government's first priority is, “together with the various national authorities and companies providing essential services”, to ensure “the fastest possible resumption of the supply of electricity in Portugal”.

“Second, to ensure continuity or the least possible interruption in public services, particularly the most essential ones and critical infrastructures. We are, of course, in contact with all these services and the entities that coordinate them,” he said.

Finally, Leitão Amaro continued, the Government is also committed to “guaranteeing public order”.

“We have been working together since the very beginning, and we are confident that, with the cooperation of everyone - public and private agents and the Government - we will be able to return to normality in the lives of the Portuguese people as quickly as possible for a phenomenon that is not national,” he assured.

Asked whether the government is aware of any specific problems, the Minister of the Presidency stated that “there is an interruption of some services and disruption in the lives of many people”.

“We are focused on the most essential services: ensuring security at airports, ensuring the continuity of health services, and also the remaining roads and transport networks,” he said.

Leitão Amaro admits that there are developments “every second” and updates will be made throughout the day.

A power outage affected several cities from north to south of the country today, starting at 11:30 am, a problem that is also being reported in several European countries.