Fonte: ANEEL
The Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL) has signed agreements with state regulatory agencies to decentralize part of its activities, such as supervision, dispute mediation, ombudsman services, and support after regulatory and grant processes. Currently, 12 state regulatory agencies have signed the agreement with ANEEL.

Last November, ANEEL published a new resolution with procedures for delegation of part of its competence for the implementation of decentralized activities in support of regulation, control, and supervision of services and electricity facilities.

The standard also perfected the process, with the adoption of management by results, application of reference costs and the end of counterparts by the state agencies. The term of the agreements will be indefinite, with a yearly signing of contracts setting the activities to be performed under the associated management, with indicators of quality to be met by the signatory.

Of the 12 signatory agencies, two act as pilot-agencies of this new model: the Public Services Regulatory Agency of Rio Grande do Sul (AGERGS) and the Regulatory Agency of Ceará (ARCE). The other ten signatory agencies should fit by 2012.

The 12 signatory agencies are in Pará, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Mato Grosso, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. Consumers may seek support of signatory state agencies when unable to resolve disputes with the power distribution companies.

However, in two of them, the Public Services Regulatory Agency of the State of Alagoas (ARSAL) and the Regulatory Services Agency of Santa Catarina (AGESCI), the agreement with ANEEL does not include Ombudsman services. In such cases, consumers must use the 167 phone number to resolve issues not resolved directly with the power distributor.

Eight states have regulatory agencies, but do not sign any agreement with ANEEL. They are in Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Tocantins, Bahia, Espírito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro. The other seven states (MG, PR, RO, RR, MA, SE, and PI) have no regulatory agency.

Decentralization of ANEEL’s activities is provided by the Agency’s Bylaws 9.427, of December 26, 1996. Click here to see list of all state agencies and telephone numbers of their ombudsmen. Toa access them, click the agency’s name. (DB/FA/GL)