Repórter Sábado: Debate sobre puxadas ilegais de luz de bairro clandestino em Almada (1.ª parte)

The first part of a "Repórter Sábado" segment focusing on illegal electricity connections within a clandestine neighborhood in Almada, Portugal. Residents in the Bairro do Matadouro, situated near the Garcia de Orta hospital, have experienced power outages for approximately one year due to these unauthorized connections. The energy distribution company, E-redes, reports difficulty in resolving these issues, citing a lack of support from the PSP to address the source of the illegal energy siphoning.

This informal settlement, which began developing around 2020, reportedly contains nearly two thousand dwellings and houses over three thousand individuals lacking basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, and sanitation. The illegal construction on state-owned land is described as contributing to a significant parallel economy. Municipal authorities in Almada and the IHRU are implicated by observers and residents, who also report substantial financial losses due to damaged household appliances caused by the unstable power supply from the illegal utility hookups.