Maracana stadium has electricity cut off due to unpaid bills

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's Maracana stadium, which hosted the 2014 World Cup final and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics, was plunged into darkness on Thursday after the electricity was cut off due to unpaid bills.

"Light cut the power to the Maracana this morning," a statement from the power company said. "The bills are behind since October."

The total debt is around 3 million reais ($939,937) with 1.3 million owed by the current owners, a consortium led by construction company Odebrecht, Light said. Another 1.7 million is owed by the organisers of Rio 2016.

The Olympic organising committee, who had control of the stadium in September and October, are negotiating their part of the bill, the electricity company added.

The stadium is one of the most famous in the world.

It hosted the final of the 2014 World Cup when Germany beat Argentina and also hosted the final match off the 1950 tournament when Uruguay beat Brazil 2-1 to lift the trophy.

Former Brazil great Zico's annual charity match was the last to be played there in late December.

($1 = 3.1917 reais)

(Writing by Andrew Downie; Editing by Toby Davis)