By Brazil Stock Guide – Brazil’s electricity demand fell as much as 14.4% during the national team’s World Cup group-stage matches, as fans paused normal activity to watch the games, according to data released Thursday by grid operator ONS.
ONS, which manages Brazil’s interconnected power grid, said the sharp changes in electricity load require close monitoring to preserve system stability. Demand typically declines near kickoff, surges during halftime as viewers use appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves, and drops again when the match resumes.
The biggest fluctuation so far came Wednesday during Brazil’s 3-0 win over Scotland, which secured the team’s place in the next round. Power load fell 14.4% from the reference level during the match, exceeding the declines recorded in Brazil’s previous games against Haiti and Morocco, when demand dropped 9.6% and 8.6%, respectively.
Between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., around the start of the Scotland match, Brazil’s load fell by 7,000 megawatts to about 91,000 MW, ONS said. The reduction was equivalent to the average power load of the entire state of Minas Gerais.
Demand continued to decline through the first half. Around 7:53 p.m., during halftime, load jumped by 5,632 MW in just nine minutes. ONS said it was the largest upward load ramp during halftime of Brazil matches in the past three World Cups, equivalent to the combined average loads of Santa Catarina and Mato Grosso states.
Later Wednesday, demand reached a low of 78,236 MW. After the final whistle, starting at 9:02 p.m., load rose again by about 8,546 MW in roughly 18 minutes.
The pattern reflects the behavior of millions of viewers during Brazil’s matches. Before and during games, household, commercial and industrial activity slows as people gather to watch the national team. During halftime, short bursts of appliance use quickly push demand higher.
ONS Director-General Marcio Rea said the operator responded “promptly, quickly and safely” to the shifts in consumer behavior during the World Cup and their impact on the Brazilian power system.
“These assessments help us prepare the SIN (National Interconnected System) for the next World Cup matches and also for other events of major mobilization, reinforcing our responsibility for supplying electricity to society,” Rea said in a statement.
ONS is expected to continue monitoring demand swings during Brazil’s upcoming matches, as major sporting events can rapidly alter national electricity consumption patterns within minutes.