Aneel Announces Reduction In Electricity Bills For All States In September

Aneel Announces New Reduction in Electricity Bills. The Conditions Will Be Valid for Consumers Connected to the National Interconnected System.

The National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) announced last Friday (26) the implementation of the green tariff flag for electricity bills in September. The flag, which signals favorable conditions for electricity generation, will be valid for all consumers connected to the National Interconnected System (SIN).

Green Tariff Flag for Reduction in Electricity Bills Has Been in Effect Since April

The green tariff flag, which implies a reduction in electricity bills, has been in effect by Aneel since April 16, following the end of the Water Scarcity flag, which was adopted last year to ensure the supply of electricity. Also last Friday, the National Electric System Operator (ONS) released the forecast for the reservoirs of the SIN subsystems for the upcoming month.

The estimate is that the Southeast and Central-West will end the month with 48.5% of tank capacity, the North with 78.8%, the Northeast with 67.3%, and the South with 71.8%. It is worth noting that in June the Aneel approved an increase of up to 60% in additional charges due to flags; however, this month, the agency announced another adjustment, this time general, in electricity bill prices in 7 states.

The values will increase by up to nearly 32% depending on the supply modality and location. The new adjustment will impact 9 distributors, with the largest increase felt by high voltage customers of EFLUL, who will see an increase of up to 1.94% in their electricity bills.

Senate Approves Bill for Reduction in Electricity Bills

The PL 414 of 2021 has already been approved in the Federal Senate, which alters the regulatory framework of the electric sector and expands the opening of the free energy market, increasing purchasing power for captive consumers, who currently can only obtain electricity from predefined distributors without any option to choose.

With the market opening, the expectation is that there will be a reduction in electricity bills for consumers. A relief for Brazilians who have seen energy prices skyrocket, with further increases expected this year, according to Aneel data.

For Trinity Renewable Energies CEO João Sanches, with the bill regulated, many customers will have the chance to choose the company that will supply their electricity consumption, with the benefit of buying on demand and saving, depending on factors such as the market price at the time, rainfall performance, and others. With the vote on the bill anticipated this year, operations could become more competitive, with the opening of the sector and the expansion of companies and customers.

Bill Will Bring Reduction in Electricity Bills and Various Benefits, but It May Take Time

For Sanches, competition in the free energy market ensures greater flexibility for the customer and companies, which can decide which supplier is best and what type of contract to establish, opening space for identifying which provider best meets the demands, either from established companies or contractual satisfaction.

The bill, which has Fernando Coelho Filho as its rapporteur, has already been approved in the Senate and is now awaiting a vote in the Special Commission of the Chamber of Deputies.

After approval, a period of 42 months will still be provided for it to come into effect, potentially generating benefits for a significant portion of the population, considering that few benefit from purchasing electricity from the free market.