Level of Brazilian reservoirs plummets and is below 30% 

The volume of water in the reservoirs that make up the SIN (National Interconnected System) plummeted in less than five months due to the effects caused by the biggest drought in the last 91 years. According to a survey by the Canal Solar, based on data from ONS (National Electric System Operator), the storage capacity of Brazilian hydroelectric plants fell from 68,9% to 28,8% between April 29th and September 3rd.

The reduction in numbers is directly related to the drop in rainfall in the Southeast/Central-West subsystem, responsible for meeting around 70% of the country's entire hydroenergy demand. Overall, capacity fell from 40,1% to 20,9%.

Currently, seven of the ten reservoirs with the lowest rainfall in the country belong to this hydrological basin. All of them are operating at less than 18% of their capacity. Another reduction that helps explain the crisis occurs in the submarket of the South region, the second largest in Brazil, with around 7% of its storage capacity. The level of the reservoirs in this area is at 26,9%, compared to 42,6% in April.

The water capacity of other national subsystems has also suffered declines in recent months. In reservoirs in the Northeast region, the percentage volume of water decreased from 57,8% to 48,7%, while in the North the reduction was more contained: from 70,1% to 69,8%.

In the understanding of experts, investments in renewable energy, including solar energy, prove to be a viable solution to face the problem, since more than half of the country's energy matrix comes from energy generated by hydroelectric plants. ABGD (Brazilian Association of Distributed Generation), for example, developed a study that shows that. The Association also listed measures that it considers necessary to ensure that the country does not face problems such as energy rationing.

Maximum storage capacity of national subsystems:

• Southeast/Midwest: 203.567,078 MW/month
• South:  19.897,047 MW/month
• Northeast: 51.602,07 MW/month
• North: 15.164,887 MW/month

Hydro plants with less capacity currently in operation:

• Itumbiara: 10,67 %
• Secret: 11,07 %
• Embarkation: 11,41 %
• New Bridge: 11,79 % 
• Wasp: 12,82 %
• GB Munhoz: 13,27 %
• M. Moraes: 16,86 %
• Furnas: 17,01 %
• Maua: 17,13 %
• Red Water: 17,47 %

Water crisis

The lack of rain and energy supply has forced the Federal Government to take a series of measures in recent months to avoid energy rationing for Brazilian families. The main measures taken were the purchase of energy from neighboring countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, and the adoption of thermoelectric plants – a more expensive source, in which the cost is passed on to the consumer.

In total, the additional amounts should surpass the R$11 billion barrier by November. The number was released by Elisa Bastos, director of ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency), during a public hearing held in the Chamber of Deputies on August 17.

The activation of these plants, in addition to making Brazilians have to pay more to use electricity in their homes, also forced the population to deal with a rise in prices in other sectors of the economy, such as cooking gas and items of the basic food basket, due to the effects of inflation.

Uncertain future

The Minister of MME (Mines and Energy), Bento Albuquerque, said this Thursday (2), in an interview with GloboNews, that it is “difficult to predict the future”. The statement was made after being asked about the possibility of energy rationing in the country.

Until then, the head of the Ministry had emphatically denied the possibility, even saying in several interviews that the Government was not even working on this possibility. Last Tuesday (31), Albuquerque said in his speech to the national radio and television network that consumers will have to participate in an “urgent effort” to save energy.

The announcement was made on the same day that the ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency) announced the creation of a new tariff flag level, which will be applied until April 30, 2022. Called “water scarcity flag”, the extra tariff is R$14,20 for every 100 kWh consumed – an increase of almost 50% over the price charged in August, which was R$9,49.