Rio de Janeiro government estimates a 6.5% drop in CNG; new tariff still depends on approval from Agenersa
The government of Rio de Janeiro closed this Saturday (May 16, 2026) an agreement with Petrobras and Naturgy to reduce the price of natural gas in the State. The estimate is that CNG (Vehicle Natural Gas) will fall by around 6.5%.
The measure should also cover gas used by industries and residential consumers. The forecast is for a 6% reduction for natural gas supplied to industries and a 2.5% reduction for residential consumers.
According to the Rio de Janeiro government, the drop in the price of CNG could benefit 1.5 million drivers who use gas-powered vehicles. The final percentage will be calculated by Naturgy and presented to Agenersa (Energy and Basic Sanitation Regulatory Agency of the State of Rio de Janeiro), responsible for validating the calculations.
The new tariff will only come into force after approval from the regulatory agency. The amendment to the contract with Naturgy was approved by Agenersa on Thursday (May 14, 2026). Details should be published in the Official State Gazette next week.
LARGEST CNG MARKET
The agreement was mediated by . In a technical note, the ministry stated that the new values have a “potential effect on public energy policy”.
Rio de Janeiro is the main CNG market in Brazil. Reasons include the presence of large producing basins and state incentives, such as a discount on the IPVA for drivers with gas-powered vehicles.
In 2025, the State accounted for 76.9% of national natural gas production, according to data from the (National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency).
GAS PRICE
The reduction occurs after CNG was left out of the most recent increase in fuels. According to the IPCA (Broad National Consumer Price Index) for April, released by IBGE, natural gas for vehicles fell 1.24% in the month, while gasoline rose 1.86% and was the item that put the most pressure on inflation.
The president of Petrobras, Magda Chambriardhas defended gas as a way to reduce prices. On Tuesday (May 12, 2026), she said that the company had increased the volume of gas placed on the market from 29 million m³ per day to 50 million to 52 million m³ per day since taking command of the state-owned company.
