Portugal's Environment Minister Calls for Water Savings Amid Heat Wave

Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho urged the Portuguese public to limit water use to essential needs as the country faces a severe heat wave. She warned that unusually high electricity demand for air‑conditioning could lead to localized blackouts, even though the national grid remains stable after a new Portugal‑Spain interconnection was inaugurated in Galicia.

The Institute Portuguese of the Sea and Atmosphere extended a red heat alert to ten districts, with temperatures projected to reach 44 °C. Health authorities have asked municipalities to protect vulnerable groups, open cooling centres, provide drinking water, and extend opening hours of public facilities. Hospitals have activated low‑level contingency plans in response to the extreme temperatures.