The Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, announced on Thursday (10) that the government will expand and simplify the rules of the social tariff of electricity. The measure is part of the sector reform bill, which should be sent to the Civil House by the end of April. The expectation of the government is that the text begins to process in the National Congress in the first half of this year.
According to Silveira, there will be free energy for families that consume up to 80 kWh per month, which. In addition, the families registered in the Cadastro Único (Cadúnico) and who have income of up to one minimum wage, but currently not contemplated, will be exempt from the collection of the Energy Development Account (CDE).
“Enough of the law of Robin Hood Averse, who takes off the poor to give rich,” said the minister, during the Brazilian Forum of Energy Leaders 2025 in Rio de Janeiro. “We will open the real market for everyone,” he added, defending greater competition in power supply.
According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), the expansion of beneficiaries of the social tariff could generate 2% impact on the electricity bill for other consumers. However, the government evaluates ways to compensate for this cost with oil resources and other sources of the Union budget. Opening the energy market and reducing subsidies are also part of the strategy to mitigate this effect.
Broad Reform of the Electric Sector
Silveira stated that the proposal for renovation of the electricity sector is the “boldest delivery” of the ministry this year. Among the points that will be in the bill are the freedom of choice of the power supplier for homes, trades and small industries; the revision of sector subsidies and incentives; and the so -called “tariff justice”.
“The last major renovation of the Brazilian electricity sector took place in 2004, in the first government of President Lula. This model needs to be revitalized, adapted to new realities,” said the director general of the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), Sandoval Feitosa, who also participated in the event. He argued that the tariff is adapted to the population’s ability to pay.
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The tripod of the new policy of the sector, according to Silveira, will be composed of tariff justice, freedom of choice for the consumer and economic balance for the sustainability of companies in the sector. The proposal will still be debated with Congress and representatives of civil society before being voted.
