Government cannot intervene in Enel until Aneel decides, says minister

The Minister of Mines and Energy (MME), Alexandre Silveira, said this Wednesday (16) that the government cannot take action in relation to Enel in São Paulo until the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) initiates the due legal administrative process. The energy company’s contract in Brazil is valid until 2028.

During an assessment of the actions of the task force created by the MME to restore energy in São Paulo and the metropolitan region, Silveira cited the letter sent by the ministry to Aneel in April, requesting the opening of an administrative process against Enel to investigate possible failures and transgressions by the concessionaire.

According to Silveira, it is up to Aneel to decide whether it will be necessary to simply impose a new fine on Enel or whether it will be necessary to cancel the company’s concession in São Paulo. The minister also criticized the municipality and said that it was silent in relation to the company’s situation in São Paulo.

“Enel failed Brazil, it acted softly and must be held responsible,” he said.

Aneel has already informed that it is carrying out a “rigorous and technical” investigation into Enel’s performance during the blackout in São Paulo. The municipality said it could impose a new fine and even cancel the company’s concession in São Paulo, if “serious failures or negligence in the provision of the service” are identified.

On Monday (14), the federal government gave Enel a deadline of three days to restore electrical operation “in most parts” of Greater São Paulo. According to Silveira, the deadline will be met and the Energy will be restored this Thursday (17) within the required standards .

Enel reported that 100,000 customers are still without power in Greater São Paulo. On Friday night (11), the state of São Paulo was hit by a storm, which resulted in the deaths of seven people.

The MME established a situation room for the blackout and asked the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) to charge Enel to reestablish energy in the metropolitan region of São Paulo.

The municipality had already signaled on Saturday (12) that, if Enel does not present a “satisfactory and immediate solution for the provision of the service”, a process will be initiated to recommend the expiry of the concession with the MME.

In addition to Minister Alexandre Silveira, the president of the National Electric System Operator (ONS), Marcio Rea, the ONS planning director, Alexandre Zucarato, and the ONS operations director, Christiano Vieira da Silva, also participated in the announcement.

Storm in São Paulo

Last Friday night (11), the state of São Paulo was hit by a strong storm. Seven people died as a result of the rains, three in Bauru, in the interior; two in Cotia, one in Diadema – both cities in the metropolitan region –; and one in the capital of São Paulo.

According to the state Civil Defense, the city of São Paulo had winds of 107.6 km/h – in a measurement carried out at the Interlagos meteorological station, in the south zone. According to the agency, it was the strongest wind in the capital of São Paulo since measurements began in 1995.

This content was originally published in Government cannot intervene in Enel until Aneel decides, says minister on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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