Last year, Electra, a company on the State's privatization list, recorded a total of 85 interruptions (indicated as 'blackouts', general interruptions), on different islands, 19 fewer than in the previous year (105), according to the report and accounts, consulted today by Lusa.
However, the duration of power outages increased by 25.5%, from 3,071 minutes in 2022, to 3,857 minutes last year, equivalent to 64.2 hours, almost three days.
The number of hours of power outages was "inflated" by cuts on Brava Island, responsible for 2,108 minutes, more than half of the total time without load.
According to the same data, the island of São Nicolau was the one that recorded the highest number of general power outages last year (25), totaling 460 minutes.
In the opposite direction, decreases were recorded in Santo Antão, São Vicente and Santiago, island of the capital, Praia, which recorded only four general interruptions in energy supply in 2023.
Electra produced 572.9 Gigawatt hours of electricity, an increase of 2.9% compared to 2022, but almost a quarter of this production is still lost (24%) due to theft and uncollected invoices.
The company improved its net results by 70% in 2023, but they still remain negative at 232 million escudos (2.1 million euros), according to the same report and accounts.
As of Saturday, Electra will be divided into three, as a result of the extinction of the North and South branches and their split.
The separation resulted in the creation of the Cape Verde Electricity Production Company (EPEC SA), the Cape Verde Electricity Distribution Company (EDEC SA) and the National Operator of the Cape Verde Electric System (ONSEC SA).
EDEC and EPEC will be privatized, while ONSEC will remain in the public sphere, controlling all operations in the Cape Verdean electrical system.
With a share capital of 1.6 billion escudos (14.3 million euros), Electra has around 200 thousand customers and 826 employees.
The shareholder structure is made up of the State (77.7%), National Social Security Institute (INPS -- 16.6%) and municipalities (5.7%).
