Sao Paulo Blackout Affects More Than 2 Million as Severe Winds Damage Power Grid and Lead to Flight Cancellations

On December 11, over 1.4 million residents in Sao Paulo were left without electricity after strong winds caused several trees to fall onto the city’s power grid the previous day. Local officials reported no injuries, but nearly 400 flights were cancelled.

Utility provider Enel has not given a timeline for when services will be restored. Marcelo Puertas, one of its directors, informed reporters that the Italian company has deployed 1,300 personnel to address the situation since winds reaching approximately 100 kilometers per hour began affecting Sao Paulo.

According to the Sao Paulo city hall, 231 trees have toppled as a result of what they describe as the impact of an extratropical cyclone originating in southern Brazil. Aviation authorities noted that most of the cancelled flights were at the local Congonhas airport, while Guarulhos International Airport, located outside the city, was also impacted.
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Mayor Ricardo Nunes, whose administration oversees tree maintenance against the grid, stated to reporters Wednesday night that he conveyed to the company that it was not fully committed to resolving the issues.

“Whenever incidents occur, we find ourselves without electricity,” remarked Nunes, labeling the Italian utility company as “irresponsible.” The situation worsened on Wednesday, leaving over 2 million residents in Sao Paulo without power.

On Thursday, several vehicles marked with the Enel logo were spotted in the company’s downtown Sao Paulo parking lot, further frustrating residents and local authorities.

Water utility Sabesp issued a statement on Thursday noting that the power outage is also hindering their services, as pumps are not operating effectively.