Gina - California Isn't Alone...
Another example of massive poor planning:
Brazilians Prepare For Tightest Electricity Rationing In Their History
6-4-1
RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Squeezed by the biggest electricity supply crisis in their history, Brazilians are preparing Sunday to submit to a draconian rationing program in the hope of avoiding widespread blackouts.
At the stroke of midnight (0300 GMT Monday), millions of residents of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, and scores of smaller cities across the nation, will have to dim their lights and flip the off switch on such 'luxury' items as air conditioners.
The government has mandated households to cut energy consumption by 20 percent. The industrial and commercial sectors were ordered Friday to reduce enegy consumption from between 15 and 20 percent -- depending on their activity.
Brazil already decreed a reduction by 35 percent in public sector power usage, including cuts in street lighting and a blackout of neon signs, which came into effect in May.
The government has already banned all sports and cultural activities after 6:00 pm, except for organizations that are capable of generating their own power.
If the quota system -- scheduled to last until December 1 -- fails, the government says it is prepared to use regular power blackouts.
Government officials blame the crisis on an extended drought that has affected hydroelectric generation, which provides 90 percent of Brazil's power.
Utilities will slap hefty fees on households that overuse electricity: anyone using more than 500 kilowatts per month could be hit with fees up to 200 percent of their regular bill -- and if their behavior contiues, they face a total power cutoff.
Facing such drastic measures, Brazilians are rushing to swap their power-hungry lamps for energy efficient fluorescent tubes, fix or get rid of refrigerators, and throw out a collection of electrical household items -- electric coffee machines, blow driers and even washing machines are getting the boot.
Utility companies have already sent millions of letters to customers explaining each 'consumption goal' -- a euphemism for the maximum amount of energy they are allowed to use.
Automatic teller machines will not work at night, underground trains will operate shorter schedules, and mobile phone companies said they cannot guarantee that their phones would work.
Only police stations, prisons and hospitals will be exempt from the severe rationing.
In South America's biggest metropolis, Sao Paulo, extra "blackout" police have been drafted in for duty from 6:00 pm to 2:00 am to ensure compliance with the measures.
Firefighters are already stepping up drills on rescuing people trapped in elevators.
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso issued a decree suspending Brazil's consumer protection code in an effort to head off legal challenges to his rationing plan and its fallout -- but the Association of Brazilians Lawyers said the plan was unconstitutional.
Sao Paulo mayor Marta Suplicy said a potential increase in violence associated with the predicted power cuts was "of great concern." |
