Sâo Paulo power usage tops pre-rationing levels

Industrial power consumption in Brazil's wealthiest state of São Paulo rose 8% in 2004 compared with the previous year, beating for the first time consumption levels registered before the country's 2001-2002 rationing, Paulo Skaf, head of the São Paulo Industry Federation (Fiesp), said Monday. Skaf attributed the increase in consumption to the recovery of Brazil's economy, which grew an estimated 5% last year. Fiesp was among the first entities in Brazil to warn about the risk of a power shortage in 2001, Skaf noted. Earlier Monday, Fiesp signed a power conservation agreement with Eletrobrás, the state-run holding company for power utilities.