Martin Bidegaray
10/21/2020 11:34 PM
Clarín.com
Economy
Updated 10/21/2020 11:34 PM
In the
electricity and gas
distribution companies they
took note of the rate increase that the Government will allow in December.
The Secretary of Energy,
Darío Martínez,
had already notified the gas companies a few months ago and slipped the possibility before electricity companies.
Now,
the discussion is about how much the increase will be.
Although the government does not give many clues, the official creed is
"something in line with inflation
.
"
In that case, it would be a recomposition of
between 25% and 28%
.
However, Secretary Martínez believes that there are sectors that can face a greater recomposition,
in the order of between 50% and 60%.
The increase of 28% "average" could mask that there are
customers who will have an increase of 10% and others, closer to 60%.
Two associations of electricity companies met with Secretary Martínez in recent weeks.
In one of these meetings, it was agreed that certain sectors could pay for services.
"To those who can pay, we will try to collect the cost,"
Martinez promised.
The companies say they have the necessary information to apply
segmented increases,
which could precisely reach segments that can "pay" them, according to companies and the Government.
The Executive Branch studies
a single annual increase
, to avoid political costs in 2021 (electoral year), but the options are open.
They would be
"transition fees",
which would last the whole year.
Only for 2022 is the
comprehensive rate review
(RTI)
planned
, which would be compliance with the regulatory framework of the sector.
The
subsidies
, which now run for all, could be cut to be allocated more specifically.
In the sights there is
20% of the list of residential users of electricity and gas
.
There the increase could be around 50% to 60%.
The percentage of those who could pay an increase differs according to geographic region, or whether it is electricity or gas.
In the case of
Edenor-Edesur,
almost one in four customers is considered a large consumer.
There is 25% there who could pay more.
And there is 3% labeled as maximum consumption.
There you could even make a transfer at a price higher than 60%, depending on the sector.
In electrical distribution, there are two large groups of high consumption.
One is spacious homes or many electrical appliances.
But the other is in slums.
There, in the absence of natural gas and water networks, electricity is used for other appliances.
The idea of the Government would be to advance with
increases for the wealthy segments or average purchasing power
, excluding emergency neighborhoods.
In the companies they say that -in many settlements-, electricity is not paid for.
Companies endorse this strategy.
"We can help to identify these segments well," they repeat under their breath.
There is 30% of the electricity standard that would escape the increases, or would be below inflation.
Secretary Martínez believes that ANSeS assistance programs, such as the
Emergency Family Income (IFE)
can serve as a reference.
Your beneficiaries would not pay raises, or they would receive minimal raises.
In contrast, there is 40% of average consumption that coexists with mixed realities.
There are both beneficiaries of social plans and workers who pay income tax.
In the Government they identify him as a "middle class" who they do not want to affect.
In polls circulating in the opposition, part of that segment voted for Mauricio Macri in 2015 and changed their preference (towards the Frente de Todos) in 2019, because they considered the rate increases excessive, among others.
The Executive Branch also knows those numbers.
Most of the current attention is on light increases.
In a summer where there will be supply cuts, the reaction can be very adverse if significant increases are announced.
With gas, the increase would be announced in December
, but consumers will only begin to notice it towards the winter, when demand increases.
The controller of Enargas,
Federico Bernal
, released a report that speaks of an
85% rate delay
if the ballots had been adjusted at the same rate as in the previous administration.
The technicians who were part of the 2015-2019 management do not share these estimates.
GB
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