Martin Bidegaray
01/13/2021 1:58 PM
Clarín.com
Economy
Updated 01/13/2021 1:58 PM
The delay in electricity rates, which have not increased for two years, begins to generate
phenomena that have not been seen since 2015
.
One of them is the
overconsumption of electricity
, compared to a billing perspective that is “cheap” in the eyes of households.
"In many cases, even with frozen rates, there are bills for relevant amounts that are the product of
excessive consumption
by users," says Ageera, the association of electricity distributors (Edenor, Edesur, Edelap), which issued a statement
questioning the freeze.
Electricity rates have not increased since February 2019. In that period, accumulated inflation reached almost 80%.
A 9% increase is expected in March-April
, which will not be enough to match inflation.
The freeze policies aim to protect the sectors with lower purchasing power.
But several studies show that the biggest consumers are the households at the top of the pyramid, because they have the most goods that require electricity or square meters to have equipment.
The distributors note that electricity consumption
is growing in two segments
: tariff tables assisted by
"social tariff"
(which have consumption blocks without charge) and those with
higher consumption
.
This segment, which received high bills with the recompositions ordered in the previous administration, finds that once again its electricity consumption is "cheap" in relation to other prices it pays.
“It is essential that as a society we incorporate the responsible use of energy.
The cultural change (...) As in the rest of the activities,
the higher the consumption, the higher the payment that must be made, ”
the distributors warn.
A phenomenon that was experienced in the previous freeze was the "air conditioning" of pools for the winter.
It is somewhat expensive, but more bearable if the rates do not increase.
Queries for those jobs are growing.
In most cases, it reaches into pockets that have large properties.
Electricity distributors on Tuesday expressed their “concern regarding the extension of the rate freeze recently established in some very important areas of the country.
This measure maintains "the
situation of indefiniteness
that directly affects the electricity service," they indicated and added: "The production and distribution of energy has a cost and is not 'free' or 'cheap' as some consider.
"Without energy, you cannot grow.
Distributors need more precise guidelines to work
(...). The macroeconomic situation defines the future of the sector, which does not only expect a tariff recomposition but a scenario of certainty to plan the future of the electricity service ”, They pointed out.
The distributors keep about 30% of the invoice
that they charge through the added value of distribution (VAD).
But the costs they face for the energy they buy are on the rise.
And homes are consuming more electricity, because people are at home, or because it is starting to be cheap, as has already happened in the two terms of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
As there is delinquency in the payment of the bills, the distributors also accumulate debts with Cammesa, the wholesale company of the electricity system, under state control.
“The rates of public services that currently govern in the country are the cheapest in the region, compared for example with Uruguay, Brazil or Chile.
This implies a
strong monetary delay
in the distributors that results in a
lack of funds
to continue with the necessary level of
investments,
”the distributors warn.
Instead of generalized subsidies,
the distributors propose improvements in the social rate
.
“A comprehensive proposal to improve the application of the Social Rate was presented (...) that promotes two fixed average values to subsidize monthly per household, differentiated by regions.
This proposal
aims to make the distribution of subsidies more equitable
, since currently all users are subsidized,
regardless of their economic capacity
”, they noted.
NE
Look also
Rates: Cristina Kirchner wants to maintain the freeze until the elections pass
The first power outage of a summer that will be complicated: what scope did it have and what was the fault
The Government will pay Edenor the consumption of the popular neighborhoods of the last three years
