Rio pledges 'power island' immune from blackouts

Organisers of the 2016 Olympics are pitching host city Rio de Janeiro as a potential “power island” immune from blackouts like the one that left 60 million Brazilians in the dark, though experts yesterday questioned whether a safe energy haven for the games is possible.

Rio has the capacity to produce more energy than it can consume with natural gas-fired plants and nuclear energy facilities nearby.