Electricity consumers are facing a worrying scenario with tariff adjustments that are impacting their electricity bills in several states of Brazil. A National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) estimates an average increase of approximately 5.6% in the energy tariff for this year, but in eight states this increase will exceed 14%, surpassing the official inflation index.
Announced changes to electricity bills in some states are more than twice as high as the country's inflation. While official inflation was 5.79% in 2022 and is estimated to be 5.01% this year, the recorded increases substantially exceed these values.
The states most affected by the increase in electricity bills for residential consumers are Equatorial Alagoas (14.57%), Cemig (14.91%) and Copel (10.96%), located in Alagoas, Minas Gerais and Paraná, respectively. In addition to these, increases above the inflation rate were also identified in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bahia and Pernambuco. More than 35.6 million consumers were impacted by these readjustments in the eight mentioned states.
The subject of high electricity tariffs has generated debates in the Chamber of Deputies, where parliamentarians have expressed concern and questioned the reasons behind these increases. During a public hearing, ANEEL director general Hélvio Guerra explained that the energy tariff in Brazil is made up of several factors, including subsidies granted to certain consumers and inflation. Guerra also mentioned that ANEEL is seeking to reduce the Tariff for the Use of the Transmission System (TUST) in some regions starting in July, however, this does not necessarily imply a reduction in the electricity bill as a whole.
The list of tariff increases above inflation approved by ANEEL between January and June of this year covers the distributors Light, Enel RJ, Energisa Mato Grosso do Sul, Energisa Mato Grosso, Neoenergia Coelba, Neoenergia Pernambuco, Cemig, Equatorial Alagoas and Copel.
These readjustments are directly impacting consumers, raising concerns about rising electricity costs and the need to seek alternatives to deal with these significant increases. The situation demands a deeper analysis of the policies and regulations of the energy sector, aiming to protect consumers and guarantee the sustainability of the energy supply in the country.
