SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Half 1,000,000 customers in Latin America’s largest metropolis are nonetheless with out electrical energy three days after a violent gale knocked down energy strains and induced a blackout, the distributor owned by Enel (BIT:) SpA stated on Monday.
The delay in resumption of energy provides has led to criticism of the distributor from politicians and authorities, with calls to cancel the concession.
Enel Sao Paulo stated it could want time to revive components of the electrical energy community that was broken on Friday evening by winds of greater than 100 km/h. A minimum of 5 individuals died within the storm that knocked over bushes within the metropolis’s streets.
Regulatory companies Aneel and Arsesp stated the corporate’s response to the storm was “a lot beneath expectations” and warned that they might advocate permitting Enel’s contract to run out.
Enel is dealing with related criticism in Chile, whose authorities stated in August it would research whether or not the Italian electrical energy distributor’s native unit meets the phrases of its concession to function within the nation after 1000’s of consumers have been left with out energy following a storm.
In line with Enel Sao Paulo, 537,000 customers have been nonetheless with out electrical energy as of noon on Monday.
Blackouts which have occurred repeatedly since final yr have angered Sao Paulo customers and led authorities to advantageous the corporate for delays in restoring providers.
Enel’s contingency plan calls for two,500 individuals working to revive providers in an excessive climate state of affairs, however its area groups numbered 1,700 to 1,800 individuals 48 hours after the storm, Sao Paulo’s state regulator for utilities Arsesp stated.
In line with federal regulator Aneel, the corporate has been fined round 320 million reais since 2018, together with 260 million reais associated to excessive climate occasions because the finish of final yr, however cost was suspended by courtroom order.
The Ministry of Mines and Vitality criticized Aneel for the present disaster, saying that the regulator had didn’t supervise the distributor.
Highlighting the weak response to the blackout, native media stated extra individuals have been with out electrical energy in Sao Paulo after the 15-minute storm than in Florida after Hurricane Milton.
