Electricity cut at Maracana stadium over unpaid bills

Posted January 26, 2017 6:00 am

The Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Rio de Janeiro's famed Maracana stadium is without power after a dispute over unpaid electricity bills.

Electric utility company Light says in a statement that power was cut Thursday at the stadium, which hosted the 2014 World Cup soccer final and the Rio Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies last year.

The company says it's owed 3 million reals (around $940,000) with 1.3 million ($410,000) of that owed by a consortium managing the stadium, led by construction company Odebrecht. The rest it says is owed by the Olympic organizers.

The stadium has fallen into disrepair in recent weeks and Odebrecht has asked the state of Rio de Janeiro to take over management.

The state has declared a "financial calamity" and is months behind paying teachers, nurses, other public employees, and pensions.

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