Brazil: Companies reduce electricity usage as rationing begins

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Companies reduce electricity usage as rationing begins

Items compiled from Tribune news services June 3, 2001 SAO PAULO, BRAZIL -- Companies big and small yanked power plugs and slashed output Friday as Brazil began its first day of electricity rationing aimed at averting widespread blackouts.

From car manufacturers to aluminum smelters to shopping centers, companies delayed opening their doors, dimmed lighting and tempered air conditioning to meet government-set quotas on electricity use designed to keep Brazil running as it battles its worst power crunch in three decades.

"We are reducing daytime illumination by 20 percent, switching off display-case lighting," said Cassio Lacerda, a spokesman for French supermarket Carrefour.

Brazil crashed headfirst into the energy shortage after years of underinvestment and poor planning left the country precariously dependent on hydroelectric plants for more than 90 percent of power. A recent severe drought tipped the balance.

After fumbling with potential measures, the government's emergency energy task force came up with a plan of varying quotas on consumption for the public and industry with hefty surcharges of up to 200 percent for quota-busters.

Household rationing starts Monday. Brazil must chop an average 20 percent off total electricity consumption to avoid California-style blackouts.

http://chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/article/0,2669,SAV-0106030401,FF.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), June 03, 2001

Answers

The electricity outages are far greater than just a California problem and I think in time this will prove that embedded chips have been playing havoc with most ALL nations. I guess we will find out NDEWTYME!

-- NdewTyme (NdewTyme@NdewT.com), June 03, 2001.

With the great reductions in productivity all of this augurs, how can anyone say that a worldwide recession is not in the cards?

-- Sparky (case@webtown.com), June 03, 2001.

Brazil: Rio Launches Site to Control Power Consumption ( June 04, 2001 )

Brazil, May 22, 2001 (O Globo/SABI via COMTEX) -- The Rio de Janeiro government launched a site to control the waste of power. Developed by Secretatia Estadual de Energia, Industria Naval e Petroleo the site www.governo.rj.gov.br/apagao enables the population to denounce federal, state and other public buildings that are wasting power. The hospital are not being forced to save power but Hospital Universitario Pedro Ernesto sticked to the rationing program. Pedro Ernesto has 600 beds and is responsible for 60% of the heart surgeries made in Rio de Janeiro. Its montly power consumption is of 836,000 KWh.

http://199.97.97.163/IMDS%PMAINTL0% read%/home/content/users/imds/feeds/comtex/2001/06/04/sa/0000-0307- KEYWORD.Missing

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), June 04, 2001.


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