Fonte: ANEEL

The standard that will regulate electronic prepayment and post-payment of energy in the country was discussed today (09/19), in Rio de Janeiro, during onsite session held by the National Agency of Electric Energy (ANEEL) with consumers and stakeholders. The session is one of the steps of the public hearing No. 048/2012 adopted in June to discuss the matter.

The hearing was attended by 79 participants. Among them there were representatives of Procon, IDEC, Neighborhood Associations and the Electrical Engineers Union of Rio de Janeiro.

The National Agency of Electric Energy (ANEEL) will hold on the 13th, in Belo Horizonte, an onsite meeting of Public Hearing No. 048/2012, in order to collect opinions and suggestions about the standard that will regulate the electronic prepayment and post-payment of energy in the country.

The prepayment system proposed by ANEEL is similar to what exists in mobile telephony: the consumer buys their credits at retail outlets and enters it in the meter. The prepayment will be made ​​through an electronic meter to be installed for free by the electricity distributor, allowing reading consumption in real time. The consumer can buy any securities, considering the minimum value equivalent to 1.0 kilowatt (kWh) – the initial value will be of 5.0 kWh, payable on the first purchase of credits. The credits purchased will not have an expiration date.

The electronic meter will display the amount of credits available in kWh, and will have visual and audible alarm to warn that the end of the credits is near. By telephone or through the meter, the consumer may request an emergency credit to the distributor in order not to run out of energy – the equivalent amount will be deducted from the next recharge of credits, being forbidden the accumulation of credits not settled.

Under the proposed regulations, it is up to each distributor to determine their interest in the form of prepayment. Those that adopt it will have three years to offer this option to all low voltage consumers in their concession areas, with the exception of street lighting. Among the attractive features for utilities are the prospect of reducing the costs of business activities, delinquency levels and commercial losses, claims for suspension and incorrect billing.

The contributions as ancillary activities can be forwarded to the email address ap047_2012@aneel.gov.br, and those about the electronic prepayment and post-payment to the email address ap048_2012@aneel.gov.br. You can also send contributions by fax to (55 61) 2192-8839 or to the address of the Agency (SGAN, Quadra 603, Módulo I, Térreo, Protocolo Geral, CEP: 70.830-030), in Brasília (DF). Besides Rio de Janeiro, hearings were held in Porto Alegre, Belem, Fortaleza, Florianopolis, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and Brasilia. Another public meeting is schedule for Cuiabá.

ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES – On the same site, there will be the meeting of Public Hearing No. 047/2012, which deals with the proposed regulations on services and activities that electricity distributors can offer beyond those required in the concession contract – including electrical properties reform, preparation of construction projects with energy efficiency and the inclusion of signatures, contributions and donations in the bill.

The contributions as ancillary activities can be forwarded to the email address ap047_2012@aneel.gov.br until 09/25. (DB / PG)