Consultation for electricity sector concessions starts next week

The public consultation for the renewal of concessions in the electricity sector will be launched next week, according to information released this Friday (16) by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira. The announcement was made during the Esfera RJ Seminar, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Silveira explained that the consultation is being discussed with the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU). The first electricity distribution concessions to expire are scheduled for the years 2025 (EDP, in Espírito Santo) and 2026 (Light and Enel, both in Rio de Janeiro). Until then, the government needs to decide whether they will be renewed or whether these services will be re-bid. According to the minister, it will be necessary to evaluate, among other points, the specificity of each granted area. He cited as an example Light, which distributes electricity to more than 30 municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro and which faces a serious problem of energy theft. “We will release these rules, but we will not be able to treat those who are different equally. We will have to be very careful, so that we can implement a process that will ensure peace of mind for consumers in the country. And it goes without saying that we have to be careful not to commit injustices.” Silveira said that public policies are needed to combat technical losses that are above the national average. “It is fundamental so that, whether with Light or anyone else, Rio can have a secure concession.” Reservoirs During the event, the minister also stated that, for the first time in the last ten years, the country begins the dry period with the hydroelectric reservoirs filled to 86% of their capacity. “This we know is not enough to reassure us, so we are working with our entire team, with the ONS [Operador Nacional do Sistema Elétrico]with Aneel [Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica] so that we have a very safe energy dispatch”, highlighted Silveira. For the minister, the great challenge is to balance cheaper energy tariffs for the population with energy security.

Agência Brasil