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Study Indicates Possible Return of Daylight Saving Time to Avoid Risks of Power Shortages Amid Challenges in the Electrical Grid and Meeting Demand During Peak Hours.
The return of daylight saving time in Brazil has been debated again as an alternative to avoid the risks of blackouts in the coming years, given the challenges faced by the national electric system.
According to the Energy Operation Plan 2025 (PEN 2025), released by the National Electric System Operator (ONS) in July 2025, the country will face increasing difficulties in meeting power demand during peak hours, especially at dusk, between 2025 and 2029.
The ONS analysis indicates that, if power auctions are not held in the coming years, the National Interconnected System (SIN) may experience critical situations, especially during periods of high consumption, such as the end of the day.
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One of the solutions evaluated by the agency is precisely the possible reinstatement of daylight saving time, a mechanism that had been suspended in 2019 by the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
According to ONS’s document, energy generation in Brazil has been growing, driven mainly by renewable sources, such as wind energy, solar energy, and mini and micro distributed solar generation (MMGD).
However, these sources, despite progress, have reduced or even zero production at night, precisely when consumption peaks.
This forces the system to activate flexible thermal power plants to ensure supply, which can increase costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Scenario and Risks of Blackouts
For the next four years, the forecast is an increase of 36 gigawatts (GW) in Brazil’s installed capacity, totaling 268 GW by 2029.
The prominence of renewable sources is confirmed by the projection that mini and micro distributed solar generation, along with centralized solar generation, will account for 32.9% of the entire national electrical grid by 2029.
Thus, solar energy will become the second-largest source in terms of installed capacity within the National Interconnected System.
Even with the expansion of generation, ONS warns of the need to adapt the operation of the electric system, which requires greater flexibility, especially from hydropower plants – sources capable of quickly adjusting their output.
The operator highlights that dependence on intermittent sources, such as solar and wind, intensifies the challenge of ensuring energy supply during peak demand periods.
Power Auctions and Regulatory Impasses
The plan presented by ONS details that, starting in October of this year, there may be a need to activate thermal power plants in even higher volumes than already predicted, especially to ensure power supply during peak hours.
The document emphasizes that, in practically all scenarios analyzed for the second half of 2025, it will be necessary to use the so-called “power reserve”, a mechanism that allows rapid activation of power plants to meet unexpected peaks in demand.
The report, however, does not recommend increasing the contracting of thermal generation with low flexibility or that requires a long time to start operating.
According to ONS, the current scenario requires that the system have resources with rapid response capacity, adapting to sudden variations in demand and fluctuations in renewable sources throughout the day.
The challenges to enable this more flexible model are hindered by regulatory impasses.
The so-called Capacity Reserve Auction was scheduled for August 2024, which would contract electricity from new and existing projects, including hydropower plants, natural gas thermal plants, and biofuel plants.
However, legal disputes delayed the auction, and in April 2025 the Ministry of Mines and Energy revoked the auction rules, canceling the planned bidding for June.
According to the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), if a new ordinance is published, the auction may be resumed at a future date, repurposing the steps and documents already prepared.
Supply Insufficiency and New Demands in the Electric Sector
In addition to the deadlock in auctions, PEN 2025 points out the increasing risk of supply insufficiency, technically called LOLP (Loss of Load Probability).
The document predicts that the system’s security level may be violated during various periods between 2026 and 2029, indicating ongoing vulnerability to meet demand, especially between August and December each year.
PEN 2024’s studies had already pointed out this risk, now reinforced by the deepening violations in the new cycle evaluated.
The report also highlights that the increasing presence of special loads, such as data center plants and green hydrogen projects, intensifies the challenge, as these operations require a large amount of energy with low flexibility to reduce consumption during critical hours.
ONS’s recommendation is to pay special attention to the feasibility of serving these loads during peak nighttime periods, precisely when supply faces the most obstacles in keeping up with demand.
Perspectives and Alternatives for Daylight Saving Time
In the current context, the debate on the return of daylight saving time gains momentum because, traditionally, the measure shifts some energy consumption from the most critical hours to periods of greater supply, reducing pressure on the system in the early evening.
The decision on whether or not to adopt daylight saving time will depend on the projections of supply in the coming months, according to ONS.
This possible reinstatement aims to avoid energy emergency situations, but still depends on technical analyses and the evolution of system conditions.
In light of the instability scenario and the need for quick solutions, electric sector experts and related entities are discussing ways to enhance supply security, either through diversification of sources, advancements in energy storage, or incentives for efficiency in consumption.
However, urgency is imposed, as without adjustments and planning, the risk of power shortages remains high, especially in years of increasing demand and intermittent supply.
With the possibility of reinstating daylight saving time and the challenges of the Brazilian electric sector, how can society prepare to avoid disruptions and actively participate in discussions about the future of energy in the country?
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