A ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency) approved, this Tuesday (24), the resolution that obliges distributors to make PIX available as a way of payment of energy bills, whenever consumers request this option.
According to the Authority, distributors can also make the QR Code available for payment via PIX regardless of the consumer's request, which is already practiced by several energy concessionaires and licensees.
“However, as many distributors still do not offer the modality or offer it with restrictions, we decided to regulate the matter to guarantee equal treatment for all consumers in the country, regardless of the management model adopted by their energy distributor”, they said.
Currently, the offer of PIX as a payment method is exclusively at the distributor's discretion. ANEEL highlighted that PIX is just another alternative, since the barcode, which allows the consumer to make the payment at the bank network and lottery outlets, remains the same on the invoice.
The standard approved by the entity also provides that if the distributor wants to replace the usual form of payment with PIX there must be the consumer's consent.
In total, distributors will have 120 days to adapt to the new rule. In addition to guaranteeing consumers the right to choose, ANEEL stated that he hopes that the measure will serve to improve the consumer experience, avoiding various problems arising from the delay in recognizing payments made through conventional means, such as the suspension of supply.
“The fees charged by banking institutions for the PIX QR code are lower than those for other payment methods, such as bar codes, which ends up reducing the distributor's operational collection costs”, they added.
According to Ricardo Tili, the reporting director of the process, PIX came to modernize the payment system in Brazil and the electricity sector could not be left out. “It is up to ANEEL require that all distributors offer this option, which has the advantages of being instantaneous and facilitating operationalization by companies”.
For Sandoval Feitosa, general director, the regulation shows that the Agency is in tune with society, as PIX has had high adoption and easy assimilation by Brazilians since it was implemented in November 2020.
“From a behavioral point of view, PIX humanizes processes, as power cuts due to non-payment can be avoided with immediate proof that the invoice was paid via PIX. It is a regulation that makes me satisfied as a consumer and regulator, as it will further improve the end consumer experience”, he concluded.
