Overview

• The grid operator ONS has been directing shutdowns every day, including about 11 gigawatts curtailed on September 17, roughly the output of Itaipu.
• Brazil left an estimated 30 TWh of renewable energy unused from 2021 through July 2025, with 14.5 TWh cut in the first seven months of this year.
• Renewable generators report roughly R$5 billion in losses over three years and have filed lawsuits seeking compensation.
• Rapid growth of rooftop solar adds midday surplus yet sits outside ONS control for curtailment, while the distributed generation lobby says it lowers overall costs.
• Authorities and industry are reviewing rules and preparing measures such as storage procurement, demand shifting and transmission upgrades, with no quick system‑wide fix in place.