Taesa repairs storm damage on line in Rio Grande do Sul

Taesa aims to restore its 230 kV Livramento 3/Alegrete 2 transmission line in Rio Grande do Sul by 7 October. An extratropical cyclone with extreme winds caused severe damage to six structures on the line, forcing its shutdown in the early hours of 28 September.

The company identified the total collapse of one tower foundation and severe damage to five other structures, mainly across the municipalities of Alegrete and Santana do Livramento. Taesa mobilised more than 90 specialised technicians, heavy machinery, support teams, and temporary towers to recover full operational capacity without affecting the broader system.

In a filing sent to Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy, Taesa attributed the severe weather to strong El Niño influence. The company requested that the event be treated as an act of God or force majeure under its concession contract and Article 393 of Brazil's Civil Code. It also notified the National Electric System Operator (ONS) and the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) to seek an exemption from the variable portion penalty for asset unavailability.

Challenging road and terrain conditions continue to slow access to the sites. Taesa stated that it has deployed additional resources from other operational bases to Rio Grande do Sul to strengthen its contingency plan as weather alerts remain active across the southern region.