A powerful storm in São Paulo left around 1.3 million locals without electricity and canceled nearly 400 flights, prompting frustration and blame upon a utility company and local officials.
What's happening?
The AP reported on the storm that Utility Enel said featured winds reaching 100 kilometers (around 62 miles) per hour that took down trees and power lines. Most of the canceled flights were leaving out of nearby Congonhas airport.
While Enel initially restored power to 1.2 million of its 2.2 million clients, 300,000 customers lost power on Thursday, and 1 million remained in the dark.
Enel faced criticism for delays in restoring power from São Paulo mayor Ricardo Nunes, who called the company "irresponsible." Bloomberg reported that the state's commerce federation estimated business and service providers face 1.54 billion reais (around $290 million) in lost revenue due to the outages.
The outages are far from the first São Paulo has grappled with, nor is it the first time Enel has been under fire for its handling of them. 2023 and 2024 featured similar controversies and criticisms from local leaders and residents, per Bloomberg.
Why are São Paulo's ongoing blackouts important?
The continuing vulnerability of the energy grid highlights how extreme weather, intensified by rising temperatures, affects communities. The economic toll that these events take is significant, and utility providers are struggling to keep up with the increasing challenges of severe weather.
"Every time something happens, we are left behind without electricity," a frustrated Nunes said. Locals were similarly frustrated and spread the blame.
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"It is the third time this year alone," psychologist Thais Fernandes told the AP. "Neither the company nor these local authorities are to be trusted."
Fortunately, it doesn't seem this disruption or the storm turned deadly, but you don't have to look far to find instances of extreme weather that include losses of life.
What's being done about extreme weather causing power outages?
Utility companies like Enel and governments can do a better job of bolstering the grid and preparing for extreme weather. Improved weather monitoring using advanced technology is one way they can be more equipped for these events.
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