The Ministry of Mines and Energy stated this Sunday (14) that Enel could lose the concession to operate in the state of São Paulo if it does not fully comply with the quality indices and contractual obligations.
The department’s position was announced after the concessionaire was once again the target of criticism for the delay in restoring electricity following the passage of an extratropical cyclone through the state.
At the height of the crisis, on Wednesday (10), around 2.2 million customers were impacted. The winds, which reached 98km/h in some regions, felled more than 300 trees. Many of them fell onto the wire network, destroying cables and poles. Until yesterday, there were still more than 417 thousand without the service.
In a statement released to the press, the ministry said that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva determined absolute rigor in monitoring the quality of energy services.
“The Brazilian government will not tolerate repeated failures, prolonged interruptions or any disrespect towards the population, especially in an essential service such as the supply of electricity”, declared the ministry.
The body also reported that minister Alexandre Silveira has been working since 2023 to alert the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) about the problems involving Enel.
According to the ministry, Silveira also proposed a meeting with the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, and the mayor of the capital, Ricardo Nunes, to “align responsibilities” involving the case.
Other side
In a statement to consumers, Enel said that power was restored this Sunday to 99% of the company’s customers. The company also stated that it continues to work to serve all affected customers.
“Since Wednesday morning, we have mobilized a record number of teams on the field, reaching up to 1,800 teams throughout the working days,” said Enel.
