Residents of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, have been testing their patience over recent days due to a series of power outages impacting various regions of the city. Between January 3 and January 5, three distinct incidents left traffic lights disabled and homes and businesses without electricity. The outages created chaos for daily life, highlighting the shortcomings of the local power supplier, Cemig (Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais).
On January 3, one incident deactivated equipment at intersections between Avenida Amazonas and Contorno, affecting the Santo Agostinho neighborhood. The following day, motorists on Avenida Mem de Sá faced disruptions attributed to maintenance work requested by the Belo Horizonte city government, including tree trimming near the area. The most significant outage happened on January 5, when numerous neighborhoods, including parts of Barreiro, found themselves plunged back to darkness during the early hours of the morning.
Cemig has stated these outages were not interconnected. For the blackout on Avenida Amazonas, the cause remains undiagnosed, but at least some of the feedback suggested broad dissatisfaction with the company's response time to restore power. Despite being active during the outages, reports indicated the situation was chaotic, with minimal guidance provided to motorists and pedestrians.
Throughout the series of incidents, residents expressed concern over the slow recovery of power and the absence of visible traffic authorities to manage the traffic flow, leaving many intersections dysfunctional. Images circulating on social media captured vehicles stuck at intersections with no municipal figures present to direct traffic.
Belo Horizonte's traffic agency, BHTrans, claimed agents were deployed to manage the traffic during the incidents. They assured residents with traffic cameras integrated with traffic lights would not result in fines for drivers caught speeding during outages. Those drivers would have their plight considered if it was evident traffic lights were non-operational. BHTrans also advised motorists on best practices to follow when signals are out of operation, emphasizing the need for caution and awareness of pedestrian rights at the stalled traffic lights.
While these blackouts drew widespread criticism, upcoming maintenance scheduled for February 6 across several areas has also got residents concerned. Cemig plans to temporarily shut off power from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM to conduct repairs, which will leave numerous communities without electricity.
Meanwhile, the perspective has been broadly unforgiving. Cemig has come under severe scrutiny from various local communities for failing to provide reliable service. The Assembleia Legislativa do Estado de Minas Gerais (ALMG) even organized public hearings to address grievances against the company. The outcry from the public reflects long-standing issues with Cemig's service and other complaints raised at these hearings, where many expressed deep-seated frustration with the outages.
Residents of the region of Conselheiro Lafaiete, where public assemblies attracted large crowds, voiced their dissatisfaction surrounding regular power failures and slow restoration processes. Public testimonies revealed some traumatic experiences. José Santana, for example, highlighted the urgent needs of individuals reliant on medical equipment like oxygen machines—calling it “dramatic.”
Many complaints included the burnt appliances resulting from frequent voltage spikes and the frustrating lengthy bureaucratic process necessary for compensation claims. A long-time Lafaiete resident collated their grievances by saying, "For cutting off power, it is quick, but to replace damaged equipment, it takes ages."
Edmar, another local resident, expressed the indignities of celebrating milestones without electricity, recounting, "We brought the New Year with candlelight, as we've often been left without power." Business owners also shared stories of economic hardships, particularly those losing money due to inadequate service during peak hours of production.
Jorge Carneiro articulated the weariness growing among residents: "We are adrift. I rang in the New Year with candles because the lights went out yet again." Their frustrations underline the desperate need for reform. Concerns have persisted for over ten years as residents voice the pleas for rapid solutions.
Taking accountability, Cemig representatives have recognized the dire need for improvement. Plans unveiled by the company indicated intentions to invest R$ 19 million over the next several years, beginning construction on new substations by 2027, with investments amounting to R$ 75 million. Officials promised these changes mark the beginning of improved telecommunications and delivery of service.
“We will change this historical relationship [with residents], ensuring the electrical grid sustains communities long-term and is guaranteed by us,” assured Anderson Moreira, the unit's manager for Lafaiete. He indicated this substantial investment signals hope for change—a stark reminder of the urgency of their commitments to the local public seeking reliable, uninterrupted power.
Overall, as power outages wreak havoc across diverse neighborhoods, residents maintain vigilant hope for genuine improvements. They yearn for more than cyclical promises—they demand tangible reforms to meet increasing energy demands and restore their faith in Cemig's capability to deliver basic utility service.