What's happened
A severe extratropical cyclone hit Sao Paulo, causing widespread power outages, fallen trees, and flight cancellations. Enel struggles to restore services amid criticism, with over 2 million residents affected by the storm's impact today, December 12, 2025.
What's behind the headline?
The storm’s impact on Sao Paulo underscores the fragility of urban infrastructure in the face of extreme weather. The widespread outages reveal how utility companies like Enel are under pressure to improve resilience, especially after previous damaging storms. The criticism directed at Enel by Mayor Ricardo Nunes suggests a disconnect between utility efforts and municipal expectations. The storm also exposes the broader risks of climate change, which is likely to increase the frequency and severity of such events. Moving forward, Sao Paulo will need to invest in more resilient power and transportation systems to withstand future storms. The storm’s disruption to essential services like water supply further amplifies the urgency for infrastructure upgrades, as prolonged outages threaten public health and safety. This event foreshadows a future where climate-related disasters will become more common, demanding proactive adaptation strategies from local authorities and utility providers alike.
What the papers say
The Independent reports that nearly 400 flights were canceled, with Enel deploying 1,300 workers to address the outages, which affected over 2 million residents. NY Post highlights the storm’s winds of 62 mph and the ongoing criticism of Enel’s response. AP News emphasizes the storm’s history of causing outages in 2023 and 2024, with Enel restoring power to half a million customers. Reuters notes the storm’s impact on air travel and the ongoing challenges faced by the utility company, which has been under scrutiny for previous storm responses. All sources agree that the storm has significantly disrupted daily life in Sao Paulo, exposing infrastructure vulnerabilities and prompting criticism of utility management.
How we got here
The storm was triggered by an extratropical cyclone forming in southern Brazil, bringing damaging winds of up to 62 mph. Past storms in 2023 and 2024 have already strained Enel’s infrastructure, leading to ongoing public scrutiny. The storm’s arrival worsened existing power outages and disrupted transportation, highlighting vulnerabilities in the region’s infrastructure.
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Sabesp is a Brazilian water and waste management company owned by the state of São Paulo. It provides water and sewage services to residential, commercial and industrial users in São Paulo and in 363 of the 645 municipalities in São Paulo State, typica