Cutting of fastening cables by saboteurs brought down Eletrobras towers, says agency

The collapse of two transmission towers of the Eletrobras system, between Sunday night and early morning of Monday (9), occurred after saboteurs cut the fixing cables, called stays, said three sources with knowledge of the situation.

The acts of vandalism occurred after the invasion of the Três Poderes buildings, on Sunday, and the Federal Police is investigating whether they are related to acts with coup motivation and has opened three investigations. In this context, measures to increase security at Petrobras refineries were also triggered, in the face of threats.

The towers fell into systems at Furnas (in Paraná), at dawn on Monday, and at Eletronorte (Rondônia), on Sunday night, without resulting in problems for the energy supply, since alternative schemes were activated.

A third tower, belonging to the Evoltz group – on a line that runs from Rondônia to São Paulo (Madeira Complex) – was also demolished in the early hours of Monday, with evidence of sabotage by cutting the stays.

“Evidence of sabotage has been found,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

“On the Paraná line, cut wires were found, a sign of vandalism”, said a second source also under condition of secrecy. “There was a cut in the stays or loosening of screws”.

They explained that overturned towers, of the cable-stayed type (fixed by cables), are less common in the Brazilian transmission system, which relies more on the so-called self-supporting, fixed on the ground.

There was no immediate information about those suspected of participating in the demolition of the towers.

When contacted, Eletrobras did not immediately comment on the matter.

According to the sources, the Paraná line was normalized this Friday morning, while the Eletronorte line, in Rondônia, had been reactivated on Wednesday. The Madeira Complex tower is expected to return to operation this Friday, according to one of the people with whom Reuters spoke.

In the case of Paraná, a document published by the National Electric System Operator (ONS) also pointed out damage to three other towers in the project, in addition to evidence of “sabotage” or “vandalism”.