João Faria Conceição explained that shortly before 11.30 pm on Monday 28th, the entire infrastructure was reconnected, while the distribution network operator connected the last points of consumption “very early”.

“We are moving towards a normal situation,” but “the distribution part is taking a little longer,” emphasised the director of the company responsible for electricity and gas transmission in Portugal.

REN’s executive director stressed that it is still necessary to “guarantee the complete stabilisation of the system” in order for the wholesale markets to function normally.

“The interconnections between the systems are operational, but there is no commercial exchange of energy” between Spain and Portugal, explained Conceição.

Asked about the possibility of an excess of renewable energy in the energy system being the cause of the blackout, the administrator considered the idea plausible, although “not the only one”.

“Apparently, and according to the Spanish authorities, cyber issues have been ruled out and so we now have to focus on exactly what happened,” he pointed out.

João Faria Conceição also said that renewable energies are “a secure energy source” that has a number of characteristics, “specifically its volatility”, which must be accommodated in the management of any electricity system to mitigate the effects of this volatility.

The head of REN emphasised that the blackout that occurred this Monday and affected Portugal, Spain and the south of France was “absolutely extraordinary”, but warned that “there is zero risk” of the situation happening again.