The number of deaths in accidents involving the power grid in Brazil increased in 2024, even with a drop in the total number of occurrences. The information was released by Abradee (Brazilian Association of Electric Energy Distributors).
During a press conference held on the morning of this Thursday (22), led by the president of the entity, Marcos Madureira, he provided an updated overview of the main numbers, causes and challenges related to security in the electrical sector.
Data from Abradee shows that there was a slight reduction of 12,4% in the total number of occurrences compared to last year in relation to 2023. 782 accidents were recorded in 2023 and 685 accidents the following year.
However, the fatality rate increased, with 250 fatal accidents reported in 2023 and 257 deaths in 2024. The highest rate of these accidents involving the electrical grid occurred in the construction sector, which recorded 65 deaths. Madureira highlighted that the most serious incidents continue to be caused by risky behavior by the population, such as clandestine connections, constructions close to the power grid and improper handling of equipment in energized areas.
Accidents involving cables on the ground are also a constant concern for distributors, especially in a country with over 4 million km of electrical networks. “The main cause of these accidents is related to branches or trees falling onto the wiring. Often, the cable does not touch the ground, but remains hanging, posing a risk of ,” he explained.
He also highlighted that, even when the cable touches the ground, in some cases, the location and specific conditions prevent the automatic protection systems from being activated, keeping the wire energized and posing a danger to the population.
“The recommendation is clear: if you see a fallen or hanging cable, never approach it. The best thing to do is to immediately the local distributor, as there is no way of knowing whether the wire is live. The power grid does not make noise and does not emit any visible warnings. The risk is real,” warns Madureira.
In addition to this type of occurrence, Madureira also mentioned losses related to damage to cables and equipment, which generate high costs and directly impact the energy supply. He also highlighted the growing effects of climate changes on the Brazilian electricity sector, mainly in energy distribution.
According to the president, the impacts vary from region to region, but are already evident on different fronts. Among the main factors is the increase in drought in certain areas, which directly affects energy generation, especially in hydroelectric plants. However, the growth of burned, caused by rising temperatures, represents an additional risk to the electrical grid, potentially causing damage to the infrastructure and interruptions in supply.
Another notable effect was the sudden and intense increase in energy consumption, caused by the massive use of refrigeration equipment during periods of extreme heat. This peak in demand can overload the system, requiring attention from distributors.
The president also highlighted that extreme weather events, such as cyclones and severe storms, have become more frequent, especially in the South and Southeast regions of the country. He cited as an example the bomb cyclone that hit the South, causing significant impacts to the local power grid.
Prevention actions
Energy distributors have intensified their prevention and rapid response actions to reduce risks to the population and electrical systems, according to the president of Abradee. He explained that awareness campaigns have been reinforced to guide the population on precautions to be taken in risky situations, such as floods or energized cables on the ground.
Among the main measures adopted are the improvement of the capacity to predict climate phenomena, the use of technologies for automation and isolation of network failures and investment in protected and isolated networks, which are more resistant to falling trees and other impacts.
Madureira drew attention to the shared responsibility with city halls in the issue of urban afforestation, which continues to be a critical factor, especially when large trees fall onto the network and knock down multiple posts.
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