Power Outage Disrupts Tax Authority’s Operations in Portugal

Power Outage Affects Tax Authority Systems

The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that a widespread power outage on Monday significantly impacted the operations of the Tax and Customs Authority (AT). Currently, efforts are underway to restore access to the Portal das Finanças and the IT systems that support public service operations, ensuring security and the normal functioning of the AT.

Tax Obligations Extended

The Ministry announced that deadlines for tax obligations that ended yesterday or are due today can be fulfilled by the end of tomorrow without any additional fees or penalties.

Technical Difficulties Reported

As reported by Jornal Económico, users faced difficulties accessing the online services of the AT around 09:30 AM on Tuesday. The outage was linked to the previous day's blackout that plunged parts of Portugal into darkness. The e-fatura application was also unavailable at that time.

Social Media Complaints

Numerous complaints emerged on social media from users unable to access the finance website. Although the Ministry, led by Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, has not officially commented on the situation, sources indicate that the outage was indeed related to the blackout affecting both Portugal and Spain.

Details of the Blackout

The blackout occurred at 11:30 AM on April 28, leaving the entire high-tension network without electricity. The exact cause is still unknown. Miguel Pinto Luz, the Minister of Infrastructure, stated that the blackout originated in Spain, and efforts were being made to reach the affected population. He confirmed that Portugal is currently operating autonomously on its own energy.

According to REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais, a voltage fluctuation in the Spanish network triggered automatic protective measures in the Portuguese electrical system, similar to circuit breakers in a household.

Unprecedented Energy Loss

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez revealed that 15 gigawatts of power were lost in just five seconds, which led to the Iberian network being disconnected from the European grid. This unprecedented event accounted for approximately 60% of Spain's current energy consumption. The cause of the blackout remains undetermined, with experts continuing their investigations.