Brazil keeps daylight saving time suspended for 2026/2027 season

Clocks in Brazil will stay on standard time at the end of 2026. The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) says the daylight saving time will not return for the 2026/2027 season, based on studies by the National Electric System Operator (ONS).

The ministry’s monitoring report, dated 31 August 2026, concluded that the ONS studies do not justify bringing the measure back. In a note to the press on 21 September 2026, the MME repeated the position, and as of early October no decree restoring the practice had been issued.

Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira announced the decision in Brasília on 14 October 2025. He stressed that there was no risk of energy shortage during the dry season, and the reservoirs of hydroelectric plants stood 15% above the annual targets.

Water levels and committee review back the decision

The Electricity Sector Monitoring Committee (CMSE) met to analyze operational data and concluded that supply is sufficient. Water levels in the reservoirs were above the expectations set for the year, which removed pressure on consumption at peak hours.

Preventive planning keeps supply and demand in balance, according to the ministry. Investments in renewable sources also support the scenario, and the decision avoids impacts on daily routines.

How the peak of electricity use moved to the afternoon

The peak of electricity use has shifted to hot afternoons, when refrigeration appliances drive demand. The ONS indicates that the peak now falls between 16h and 18h every day.

Daylight saving time lost effectiveness because it no longer matched these consumption habits. The ONS studies show that the expected economy shrank, and the measure once saved up to 0.5% of total consumption.

Today, load management technologies perform the function that the clock change used to serve. LED lighting has also cut night-time consumption, a change that the ministry counts as part of the case for a permanent suspension.

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The practice dates back to 1931, under Getúlio Vargas. It was applied in the South, Southeast and Center-West regions to make better use of sunlight, but decades of use brought criticism over mismatches in specific sectors.

Battery storage projects that could support the grid

Batteries for renewable energy were scheduled for an auction, and the system would store wind output for extended periods. The storage would help reduce the intermittency that affects clean sources.

Solar storage can reach up to 22 hours of capacity. Integration with hydroelectric plants strengthens the national grid, and the minister highlighted the launch of complementary thermal plants.

Similar initiatives are under way in other countries to stabilize power grids. In Brazil, the focus includes tariff moderation for users, which makes it possible to avoid relying on measures such as changing clocks.

Why the 2019 suspension has held and what Congress is weighing

The suspension began in 2019 by presidential decree, through Decree 9.772 of April 2019. Changes in consumption made the economy insignificant, and the 2021 water crisis tested the system without a return to the measure.

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A bill in the Chamber of Deputies seeks a permanent ban on daylight saving time. The Mines and Energy Committee approved the proposal in July, and the analysis by the Constitution and Justice Committee remains pending.

Airlines and commerce argue that adjustments would be costly, since ticket sales and schedules require advance planning. The government considers these arguments in its ongoing review.

Ministry’s technical arguments for keeping clocks unchanged

Reservoirs operate above 70% of average capacity, and recent rains raised levels in the main basins. The dry season begins with operational margin, according to the ministry.

Wind and solar generation offset water variations, and integration with the National Interconnected System optimizes the flow of power. The absence of rationing alerts reinforces confidence in the system.

The ministry said it will keep evaluating the adoption of the policy periodically, with the aim of guaranteeing the security and reliability of electricity supply in the country.