Latest News

Half million still without power in Sao Paulo from Friday storm

Half a million consumers in Latin America's biggest city are still without electricity three days after a violent windstorm knocked down power lines and triggered a blackout, the distributor owned by Enel medical spa said on Monday.

The hold-up in resumption of power materials has resulted in criticism of the distributor from political leaders and authorities, with calls to cancel the concession.

Enel Sao Paulo said it would require time to bring back parts of the electrical energy network that was damaged on Friday night by winds of more than 100 km/h. A minimum of five people died in the storm that knocked over trees in the city's streets.

Regulatory companies Aneel and Arsesp said the business's. action to the storm was much below expectations and warned. that they might recommend enabling Enel's contract to expire.

Enel is dealing with similar criticism in Chile, whose government. said in August it will study whether the Italian electrical energy. distributor's local system fulfills the terms of its concession to. run in the nation after countless clients were left. without power following a storm.

According to Enel Sao Paulo, 537,000 consumers were still. without electricity as of midday on Monday.

Blackouts that have happened consistently since in 2015 have. angered Sao Paulo customers and led authorities to fine the. company for hold-ups in restoring services.

Enel's contingency strategy calls for 2,500 people working to. bring back services in an extreme weather condition situation, however its field. groups numbered 1,700 to 1,800 people 2 days after the storm,. Sao Paulo's state regulator for energies Arsesp stated.

According to federal regulator Aneel, the business has been. fined around 320 million reais given that 2018, consisting of 260 million. reais related to extreme weather condition events given that completion of last. year, however payment was suspended by court order.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy slammed Aneel for the. current crisis, stating that the regulator had actually failed to. supervise the distributor.

Highlighting the weak response to the blackout, local media. said more individuals were without electricity in Sao Paulo after the. 15-minute storm than in Florida after Hurricane Milton.

(source: Reuters)