Brazil blackout sparks power rationing fears

• Monday’s massive blackout is raising concerns that electricity rationing may hit Brazil this year, dealing a major blow to the country’s already fragile economy.
• Critics say the government's unwillingness to take politically unpopular actions, such as raising water rates and enforcing strict conservation, has made a bad situation worse.
• The blackouts also caused some economists to revisit their forecasts; the chief economist at Banco Votorantim in São Paulo projects Brazil’s economy to grow just 0.1% this year, with even that figure too optimistic if electricity rationing occurs.
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