Candidates for 2022 must address Brazil’s energy crisis

Until very recently, Brazil’s energy sector was on the verge of collapse. The most severe water crisis in 90 years threatened to impose electricity rationing on Brazil’s citizens — a nightmare scenario for a government seeking re-election in 2022. The scare shook the administration into action, taking measures that only resulted in sky-high energy bills for consumers.

Thankfully, the country appears to have been saved from catastrophe by a recent uptick in rainfall in regions that are home to Brazil’s most important hydroelectric reservoirs. Power rationing no longer appears to be likely — but only for the time being, as climate changes are having an increasingly large impact on the country’s energy sector.

Indeed, the expensive electricity bills showing up on citizens’ doorsteps every month are unlikely to get lighter any time soon, which in turn puts added pressure on inflation.

It is in this whirlwind of risk and uncertainty that campaign teams from would-be presidential candidates are poring over the challenges of Brazil’s energy system, looking for potential solutions to present to the electorate.

What have the candidates got in store?

Among the current pack of pre-candidates, former Justice Minister Sergio Moro is among the least prepared with regards to energy sector expertise, with the industry saying he is seeking out consultancy firms to help build some form of energy policy in his proposed manifesto. Mentions of electricity or related matters were nowhere to be seen in any of his pre-campaign presentations.

Another candidate seeking to learn more about the area is Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite, who is competing in the primaries for the center-right Brazilian Social Democracy Party. Mr. Leite has met with Adriano Pires, founding partner of the Brazilian Center for Infrastructure (CBIE), and Ricardo...