The ONS is preparing a special task force to ensure the stability of the electricity supply during both rounds of the 2026 elections, preventing disruptions to Brazil’s democratic process.
To ensure that the elections take place without power supply failures, the National Power System Operator (ONS) announced a rigorous strategy for the coming year. The measure aims to shield the country’s critical infrastructure on October 4 and 25, 2026, dates that mark the first and second rounds of the elections, respectively.
The contingency protocol established by the operator focuses on preserving service continuity. Among the planned actions is a prohibition on any scheduled maintenance that could result in load shedding or put the system at risk, along with an optimization of power flows to maximize the robustness of the national grid.
Grid protection schedule
The operational lockout for the first round begins at midnight on Saturday, October 3, and continues uninterrupted until 7:00 a.m. on Monday, October 7. The same rigor will be applied during the second round, with restrictions starting on October 24 and ending on the morning of October 26.
In addition to pausing technical interventions, the ONS has instructed all power generation, transmission, and distribution companies to keep their technical teams on standby. The goal is to ensure absolute readiness for a rapid response to any unforeseen events that could compromise the grid.
Marcio Rea, Director-General of the ONS, stated:
This preventive action seeks to preserve the reliability of the National Interconnected System and ensure that the power supply occurs with stability and security throughout the voting process.
Weather monitoring and resilience
The plan also includes heightened surveillance of weather conditions in strategic regions. The goal is to anticipate the impact of weather phenomena that could threaten the stability of the National Interconnected System (SIN), allowing for swift mitigating actions in the event of storms or extreme events coinciding with the voting period.
With these measures, the ONS aims to minimize any technical or logistical vulnerabilities. The strategy not only protects the power supply to polling places, but also ensures that vote counting takes place within a stable infrastructure environment, reaffirming the electric sector’s commitment to the smooth operation of crucial democratic stages.
