Brazil commercial power use sees steepest fall in 12 years

Electricity use by Brazil's commercial sector suffered its sharpest fall in 12 years in February as the country's economic woes crippled demand.

Commercial consumption dipped 4.8% year-on-year to 7.719TWh, federal energy planning agency EPE said in a bulletin on Thursday.

Meanwhile overall electricity use across all sectors declined 5.1% to 38.495TWh.

Despite the commercial sector's performance, the industrial segment posted the biggest fall in February, sinking 7.2% year-on-year to 13.375TWh. Residential power use was 3.2% lower at 11.352TWh.

"Limited credit along with expectations of higher employment and falling income have caused consumers to behave more cautiously," the bulletin said.

Brazilian electricity demand fell 1.8% in 2015, weighed down by the country's worst recession in decades.

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