The Santa Catarina Court of Justice (TJSC) has ordered the municipality of Lages (SC) to compensate a resident after finding that the lighting of a public monument was irregularly connected to the electrical grid of his home, which caused a sudden and undue increase in his electricity bill.
The case began in 2024 when the owner (who owns a small farm) noticed that his electricity bill had risen unusually. Trying to understand the source of the consumption, he discovered that the energy from his own house was being used to illuminate Morro da Cruz — one of the city's main tourist attractions.
The resident tried to contact the local government seeking a solution, but received no response. Faced with this lack of action, he decided to take matters into his own hands and hired an electrician, who cut off the power.
That same night, Morro da Cruz was plunged into darkness—reinforcing the consumer's suspicion. Subsequently, a court-ordered expert analysis confirmed that the tourist spot was, in fact, supplied by the resident's electricity meter.
Based on the technical report and other evidence, the TJSC The court acknowledged the municipality's responsibility. In its ruling, the court highlighted that the case goes beyond a simple annoyance, since the consumer paid for improper consumption, had to bear the costs to resolve the problem, and did not receive a response from the public authorities.
The decision — which is still subject to appeal — stipulates that the man be compensated with more than R$ 10 for moral and material damages, in addition to reimbursement of R$ 1.409,72 for material damages, relating to overcharged electricity bills and the service of the electrician hired by the plaintiff.
In a statement, the City Hall of Lages The administration stated that it is monitoring the process and will take appropriate measures to safeguard the interests of the municipality. The public administration also emphasized that the legal action concerns "events that occurred prior to the current administration."
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