The board of ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency) approved a new set of rules that aims to accelerate the response of electricity distributors and transmitters in emergency situations, especially in scenarios of extreme weather events that have become more frequent and intense in Brazil.
Among the changes is the creation of automatic financial compensation for consumers who are without power for more than 24 hours in urban areas or 48 hours in rural areas. Also approved was the mandatory reimbursement for electrical damages when there is a link between the service interruption and the losses caused.
Agnes Costa, director of ANEEL and rapporteur of the case, emphasized that the resilience of electrical grids is one of the sector's greatest strategic challenges. "When the grid withstands a storm, when power returns faster, when communication is clear, we are protecting homes, hospitals, schools, and businesses," she stated.
The new rules were created based on a public consultation that gathered suggestions from civil society, professionals and employees of the agency itself.
Faster communication
Another important point is the requirement for clear and up-to-date communication to consumers. Utilities will have up to 15 minutes to report the probable cause of the outage and the affected area after investigating the problem, or within a maximum of 1 hour after the outage is recognized, even if the cause is still under investigation.
Furthermore, distributors' websites must display updates every 30 minutes with data on open incidents, the number of affected consumers, and maps of areas experiencing power outages. Failure to comply with these obligations may result in fines and other sanctions.
Prevention and mandatory planning
The Agency also determined that contingency plans for extreme weather events will become mandatory. Distributors and transmission companies will have 90 days to develop, review, and submit their plans to the ANEEL and the ONS (National System Operator), which must include communication actions, crisis protocols, training, service strategies and coordination with public bodies.
Additionally, companies must maintain an updated plant management plan, including preventive pruning measures in high-risk areas. Although municipalities are legally responsible for pruning, ANEEL now requires distributors to act proactively, presenting annual reports on actions taken and interactions with city halls.
Alignment with climate agreements
According to ANEELThe decision is in line with Brazil's commitments under the Paris Agreement and national climate change adaptation policies, such as the National Climate Change Plan and the National Adaptation Strategy. The new rules are expected to strengthen the country's electricity infrastructure in extreme situations and ensure greater safety and agility for consumers.
What came before
Brazilians were without power for an average of more than 10 hours in 2024, reveals ANEEL
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An answer
Shameful, if you go 24 hours without power you have to pay the previous month's bill.