The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), stated that he is evaluating the possibility of intervening in Enel, the concessionaire responsible for supplying energy in the metropolitan region, after yet another blackout caused by strong winds in the state.
According to him, the company’s performance in restoring service is “absolutely insufficient” and the complete normalization of supply should take a few days.
In a statement during a housing delivery event in Carapicuíba, in Greater São Paulo, the governor stated that the biggest delays in rebuilding the network occurred in the areas served by Enel.
Continues after advertising
Tarcísio highlighted that, compared to other concessionaires, the company has a slower response speed in the face of extreme weather events. According to him, the state government has forwarded technical reports and letters to the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), responsible for regulating and supervising the contract.
The governor once again emphasized that the State does not have direct regulatory instruments to demand changes in the provision of the service, a responsibility that falls to Aneel. The discussion about a possible intervention gained strength after a recommendation from the technical area of the Federal Audit Court (TCU), at the beginning of the month, for the regulatory agency to produce studies on the risks, impacts and consequences of this measure.
Tarcísio also refuted criticism that he was politicizing the issue. He cited previous statements by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, who had accused the governor and mayor of the capital of adopting a populist discourse on the issue. For the governor, the problem is recurring and directly affects the population, who face long periods without power after storms. According to him, the predictability of restoring the service is low and the disruptions tend to be repeated in new weather events.
The governor defends the intervention as an alternative to the expiration of the contract, to force investments in the modernization of the electrical network, as long as the measure is financially viable.
He also once again criticized the current concession model, stating that the extension of the area served would justify dividing the contract into two parts, which, in his opinion, would facilitate inspection and charging for improvements. Enel’s contract expires in 2028. The company tried to bring forward the renewal, but the process was blocked by the São Paulo court.
The mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), also criticized the concessionaire’s actions. In an interview with CBNstated that the lack of sufficient Enel teams has made it difficult both to restore power and to remove fallen trees in the capital. According to him, the city hall considers it necessary for the federal government to intervene in the company.
Continues after advertising
Nunes disputed information released by Enel about the number of teams in operation. According to the mayor, although the concessionaire reported that 1,500 teams would be working, less than 40 vehicles were identified circulating in the city in a single day, based on data crossing from the SmartSampa system. The city hall reported that it formally notified Enel and Aneel through the Municipal Attorney General’s Office.
