MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Some 400,000 households still powerless in São Paulo after three days

“More than 50% of the events were due to trees falling on the medium and low voltage system in São Paulo,” Silveira also explained

Given that some 400,000 households in São Paulo were without electricity on Monday after problems caused by a storm last Friday, federal Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira gave suppliers Enel 3 days to fully restore supply, Agencia Brasil reported.

Enel has a team of some 1,400 experts doing their utmost to comply at the earliest time possible. Hence, professionals from other companies in the country were summoned to assess the crisis, Silveira said.

“Together with the distributors CPFL, Enel, EDP, ISA CTEEP, Eletrobras, Light, and Energisa, who are here today [Monday], we are increasing from 1,400 Enel employees to 2,900 professionals, in addition to more than 200 trucks to support these teams, apart from Enel's own trucks, and more than 50 pieces of equipment in this task force,” he announced.

Silveira also said he had ordered Enel to normalize the power supply within three days. The company had informed him that there was no deadline for the population to have their power restored. “I told Enel that it had made a serious error in communication and in its contractual commitment to São Paulo society by not giving an objective deadline. Enel has three days to restore most of the power to the people of São Paulo,” he said.

The minister also criticized the utility company and the energy sector for reducing the qualified workforce and said that distributors will suffer penalties if they do not improve the frequency of events and the duration of events like these. “They will be penalized if they don't have the necessary foresight or planning to avoid this type of event because it's clear that the world is going through severe weather events and that the distribution sector has to take precautions in planning for these events.”

Regarding versions that the renewal of Enel's concession was at stake, São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes said on Sunday that it was “fake news” because “Enel's contract expires in 2028.” It therefore “has until 2026 to comment on its renewal.”

Silveira suggested Nunes should worry about the city's urban planning given that “more than 50% of the events were due to trees falling on the medium and low voltage system in São Paulo, which today, unfortunately, not even the distribution companies have the prerogative to take care of, due to legal force and even environmental licensing.”

The storm that hit the city of São Paulo began around 7.30 pm on Friday, leaving several neighborhoods in the city without electricity and even affecting water distribution. By Saturday, seven people had died in the state as a result of the rains, three in Bauru, in the interior, and four in the capital's metropolitan region.