The movement to transfer charges from the electricity bill to the Treasury grows. According to a study by Instituto Escolhas, in partnership with researchers from EnerStudies, the measure would have a strong impact on reducing electricity tariffs throughout Brazil.
The survey identified three measures that have the potential to lead to a 13.5% reduction in tariffs. The most expressive and immediate is the removal of 13 charges with little or no relation to the sector, or that represent incentives for the generation of outdated energy.
The revision of charges would have the effect of reducing the electricity bill by 8.5%.
“The charges have become a kind of door of hope in the electricity sector, everyone goes there and hangs their private benefit, and the population is willing to pay”, says the founder and director of Instituto Escolhas, lawyer Sergio Leitão.
On the list are subsidies for coal, the use of fossil fuel in thermal plants outside the national energy system, as well as for irrigation in large properties, which have the financial autonomy to bear this cost.
As the institute does not defend breach of contracts, the suggestion is to make the transfer, with anticipation of deadlines, to speed up the end of the subsidy.
Instituto Escolhas also identified that there could be a reduction of 4% if the population could choose from whom to buy energy. Currently, residential consumers must connect to the network of the distributor serving their region. The study shows that there would be more competition, with falling prices, with the end of geographic limits.
According to Leão, another important measure would be to review the structure of the social tariff. “Today, the consumption limit of those entitled to social tariffs only prevents them from being left in the dark”, by Leão. “If you have to spend energy to make a juice or keep the drumsticks in the fridge to sell on the beach, on the street, you lose help.”
In this case, the entity defends the creation of a program that encourages the use of solar panels in low-income communities.
Given the willingness of Congress to discuss alternatives to reduce the electricity bill, the study was forwarded to the Senate Infrastructure Committee, this Tuesday (17).
At this Tuesday’s hearing, on the initiative of Senator Fábio Garcia (União-MT), the full use of credits to lower the electricity bill is under debate. As they were obtained in court by the distributors, the companies argue that they are entitled to the credits.
WHERE AND HOW TO CUT 13% ELECTRIC BILLS
8.5% immediate reduction with cost rationalization
MEASUREMENT Transfer to the Federal Treasury of subsidies that do not directly concern the operation of the electricity sector.
LIST OF CHARGES THAT WOULD NOT BE A CHARGE IN THE ENERGY TARIFF
| TFSEE, fee to fund inspection in the sector |
40% reduction in the TFSEE rate (proportion of the collection that is sufficient to supply the budget of Aneel, the sector agency) |
|---|---|
| Incentive to R&D, research and development actions |
Keep the percentage of distribution in 2023 at 0.5% of the distributors’ net operating revenue Extend the contribution to all sources of generation, reducing the current percentage of generation without compromising the total amount collected |
| Charge to promote energy efficiency |
In 2023, it will already be reduced by 50%, from 0.5% of net operating revenue to 0.25% of net operating revenue |
| PROINFA |
Already extinct. Current costs refer only to the execution of contracts already signed. |
| TSEE, social tariff |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government. |
| Light for All Program |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government. |
| Incentives for renewable sources, which already show economic viability such as solar, wind and biomass |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government; Provisional Measure 998 extinguished the incentive for new projects. Only projects awarded until March 2021 are eligible for the subsidy. |
| Subsidy to coal |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government. Do not extend under any circumstances. |
| Fuel Consumption Account, to pay for thermal plants outside the system |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government. |
| Subsidy for rural area |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government; Immediate extinction of cumulativeness |
| Subsidy for irrigation and aquaculture |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government; Immediate extinction of cumulativeness |
| Incentive to cooperatives and small distributors |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government |
| Support for Rural Electrification Cooperatives |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government |
| Support for water, sewage and sanitation |
Transfer, of 20% per year on the initial value, to the Federal Government |
4% fall with free energy trading
MEASUREMENT Allow residential consumers to choose their suppliers, in order to encourage new business models, especially with the use of renewable energy
1% cut in average spending via incentive to distributed generation in low-income
MEASUREMENT Creation of an inclusive energy transition program, through the diffusion of solar panels in low-income households, not only for their own consumption, but also for commercialization
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