Kite‑related power outages affect thousands of homes in Brazil
In July, the utility Equatorial Goiás recorded 288 kite‑related incidents that disrupted the electric network, leaving up to 70,000 properties without power and forcing crews to cut lines and secure feeders. The outages impacted whole neighbourhoods, halting electricity to households, hospitals, traffic signals and commercial establishments.
In the state of Tocantins, 28 kite entanglements in 2025 affected more than 30,000 consumers. To educate the public, Energisa Tocantins will hold a free Festival of Kites on 1 August at Praia da Graciosa in Palmas, offering safety guidance on keeping kites away from power lines.
The Rio Grande do Norte distributor Neoenergia Cosern reported a 47.4% rise in kite incidents from January to June 2026, with 28 cases recorded. While the number of customers interrupted fell sharply to 4,997 – a 71.4% drop from the previous year – the events still caused short‑circuits, cable damage and safety hazards due to cutting lines such as cerol.
Entities: Energisa Tocantins · Equatorial Goiás · Flávio Duarte · Neoenergia Cosern · Vinícius Lima
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Kite entanglements caused power outages that disrupted hospitals, traffic signals and commercial activities.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The number of customers interrupted in Rio Grande do Norte fell to 4,997 in the first half of 2026, a 71.4% reduction from the previous year.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Energisa Tocantins will hold a Festival of Kites on 1 August at Praia da Graciosa in Palmas to promote safety.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Neoenergia Cosern reported a 47.4% increase in kite‑related incidents, with 28 cases from January to June 2026.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Kite lines coated with cerol or other cutting material increase the risk of short‑circuits and accidents.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In 2025, 28 kite incidents in Tocantins affected more than 30,000 electricity customers.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Equatorial Goiás recorded 288 kite‑related incidents in July that affected 70,000 properties.