Senator Lucas charges Aneel with action against increases in electricity tariffs – News of Brazil
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Paulo Silva
Policy Editor
In a public hearing held this Tuesday (30), at the Senate Infrastructure Commission, senators demanded action by the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) against readjustment of electricity bills in the states. Requests were made to Aneel’s general director, Sandoval Feitosa.
One of the speeches was given by Senator Lucas Barreto (PSD-AP). According to him, Amapá is the second largest generator of energy in the Amazon, but has the most expensive tariff in Brazil. According to Feitosa, Aneel is the authority that determines how to calculate the price of the service, but it has little freedom to modify the readjustments provided for in the contracts of energy companies, which are supported by law.
“Aneel approved an increase in energy transport 7% higher than it should have been. It’s absurd what’s going on there. We are working with the Public Ministry to file a new lawsuit against Aneel. [A agência] It will now respond jointly and severally because it did not inspect when the blackout occurred. Knew the backup was not working and unfortunately did nothing” said the senator, referring to blackouts that the state of Amapá suffered for almost a month in 2020.
Sandoval Feitosa justified that the cost, in the North region, is the highest in the country due to the low demographic density and low investments made by privatized companies in the years 2018 and 2020.
“When you build a distribution line in the state of Minas Gerais, for example, you incorporate many consumers and have more people to pay that bill. [No Norte], you make a transmission line and few consumers are incorporated. Paying the bill gets heavier”, he said.
The director also explained that these companies were entitled to extraordinary tariff revisions for five years. But, according to him, the perspective is that the readjustments will be smaller in the following periods.
“All these states – Amapá included – were under precarious management or in the form of Eletrobras. They had really bad service to say the least. The inefficient management of these companies meant that investments were not included in the tariff, either due to management deficiencies or political decisions. So when companies [privatizadas] assumed, they had to make massive investments. All companies were entitled to an extraordinary review. The entrepreneur said: “I only participate if I can do a review, to review the entire asset base”. And so it was done. This condition was not given by Aneel, but by the granting authority. From now on, there will be a new investment capture cycle, that is, the tendency is for smaller readjustments”, said Feitosa.
The senators insisted that the agency can influence the value of the readjustment, for example, with the inspection of possible abuses practiced by the companies. They pointed out that debts with the electricity bill affect a relevant part of families in the states.
“Since the National Congress introduces a cost by law, I am obliged to include it in the tariff. When the Ministry of Mines and Energy [MME] hires more transmission lines, I am obliged to launch. Are we going to pass legislation to change that? So that we can find a solution.” said Feitosa, mentioning Law 14,385, of 2022, which reduced PIS and Cofins taxes on the service.
Aneel
Aneel is a special authority linked to the MME to regulate the energy sector in the country. Among its responsibilities are inspection, promotion of concessions and permissions and the establishment of tariffs paid by citizens.
According to Feitosa, the price is made up of the activity of distribution, transmission and power generation. Also included are sectoral charges or subsidies, which are decided by the National Congress or by the federal government to meet public policies. Feitosa explained that from 2010 to 2023, with the exception of sectoral charges, the other variables that make up the tax had an increase lower than inflation — measured by the Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) and the General Price Index – Market (IGP- M). (With information from the Senate Agency)
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