Fonte: ANEEL

The Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (Aneel) has revised the values of the Fuel Consumption Bill (CCC)* quotas for 2008, defined in R$3 billion on February 16 of this year, due to the R$651million deficit informed by the Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras S/A (Eletrobrás) – manager of the Bill – for the months of November and December.

The reasons for the negative balance during those months were the increase in the fuel’s price, which varied between 15% and 34%, and the restitution of the State Value Added Tax (ICMS) predicted for 2008 which should be made by the beneficiary agents that purchase fuels for the generation of electricity in the Isolated Systems **.

Out of the total amount for complement of the quotas, R$234 millions are related to the ICMS restitution which was not made and the remaining comprises the increase in fuel’s price. Out of the total deficit cost R$130 million remaining from the CCC relating to the balance for payment to the Companhia de Eletricidade do Amapá (CEA) will be deducted, in case it settled its defaulting situation. Such amount will be incorporated in the calculation of the CCC quotas for 2009.

The remaining R$521 million were divided in R$182 millions relating to the complement of November, which must be collected by the distribution concessionaires until December 22, 2008; and R$339 millions for December, to be collected until January 10, in the next year. The burden integrates the electricity tax paid by the consumers, which will have the impact of such amounts calculated in the next tax adjustments and revisions of the distributors.

The CCC amount is calculated by Aneel based on an annual thermoelectric generation prediction made the Grupo Técnico Operacional da Região Norte (GTON), under coordination by Eletrobrás. The CCC quotas must be paid monthly by the distributors.

*The Fuel Consumption Bill (CCC): it is a burden which subsidies the purchase of diesel oil and fuel used in the generation of energy by thermoelectric plants which serve the isolated communities, mainly in the North region. The Bill, instituted by the Law no. 5899/1973 is collected in monthly installments by the distribution concessionaires and by free consumers. Being paid by all energy consumers in the country, the CCC is one of the cost items of tax.

** Isolated Systems: they are energy transmission electrical systems installed mainly in the North region of the country and which do not integrate the National Interconnected System. The generation is based on thermoelectric plants which use diesel oil as fuel.