Brazil’s Eletrobras probes collapse of transmission towers -sources

By Leticia Fucuchima and Rodrigo Viga Gaier

SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Brazilian power company Eletrobras is investigating whether the collapse of at least two transmission towers is related to anti-government riots on Sunday after finding signs of sabotage, according to two people familiar with the probe.

Organizers of the uprising that ransacked government buildings in the federal capital Brasilia had also discussed on social media their plans to disrupt highways and oil refineries to create economic chaos in sync with storming the capital.

The towers – one of which fell on Sunday and the other in the early hours of Monday – were operated by Eletrobras subsidiaries Furnas and Eletronorte.

Eletronorte said its maintenance team found “signs of sabotage” at a fallen tower connecting rural parts of northern Brazil in Rondonia state with the central grid, but did not provide further details.

“Eletronorte’s staff is already mobilized for the replacement of the tower, and the services are expected to be concluded on Wednesday,” Eletronorte said in a statement on Monday.

Furnas reported a fallen tower and damages to three others in Parana state, according to a joint statement from regulator Aneel and the mines and energy ministry, which have set up a crisis committee to monitor potential threats to Brazil’s power grid.

Furnas told authorities it suspected this was an act of vandalism in the absence of adverse weather conditions that could have caused the collapse of the towers, the statement showed.A third tower operated by power transmission company Evoltz also collapsed, according to a report by Brazil’s National Electric System Operator (ONS) on Tuesday. That sparked interruptions of 14 generating units at Jirau and Santo Antonio power dams, authorities said.

Eletrobras, Furnas and Evoltz did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Letícia Fucuchima and Rodrigo Viga GaierWriting by Ana Mano and Peter FrontiniEditing by Brad Haynes, Steven Grattan, Deepa Babington and Marguerita Choy)