A ANEEL The Brazilian National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) has opened a public consultation to discuss the automatic adoption of the White Tariff for Group B consumers with monthly consumption exceeding 1.000 kWh starting in 2026.
In the Enel SP concession area, this level corresponds to a bill of around R$ 900,00 for a residential unit. The consultation will be open from December 10th to March 9th, 2026, during which time interested parties may submit contributions on the subject.
According to ANEELThis measure could reach 2,5 million consumer units, responsible for approximately 25% of total low-voltage consumption.
The proposal affects residential, rural, commercial, and industrial consumers in subgroups B1, B2, and B3, excluding low-income and social tariff subclasses. Medium and high-voltage consumers already operate under hourly pricing and, for the most part, are in the free market.
Understand the tariff model.
The White Tariff was created in 2018 with optional enrollment. A study by ANEEL A study conducted in 2020 showed that less than 0,1% of eligible consumers opted for the model.
White tariff should become the standard for large consumers.
Despite the low adoption rate, those who switched reported an average 4% reduction in their bill compared to the conventional rate.
The white tariff has three tariff points:
- Off-the-tip: 21:30 pm - 16:30 pm
- Ponta: 17:30 pm - 20:30 pm
- Intermediary: one hour before and one hour after rush hour
Under the conventional tariff, the price of energy is the same throughout the day. The White Tariff, however, signals different costs depending on the time of consumption, a mechanism that, according to the agency, induces more efficient demand responses and reduces pressure on the system in the early evening.
Herself - Host ANEEL However, it reinforces that the White Tariff It is not recommended for consumers who concentrate their usage predominantly during peak and intermediate periods without the possibility of shifting consumption patterns.
Why automatic enrollment?
According to the Agency, experience in recent years shows that the voluntary model has not been fulfilling its role of revealing real short-term costs to the consumer. The sector has undergone extensive expansion of renewable sources, supported by subsidies that distort cost allocation and weaken tariff signaling.
The advancement of technologies such as electric cars, smart homes, home automation, and home battery systems reinforces, according to... ANEEL, the opportunity to expand hourly pricing.
The combination of these tools allows for greater predictability and scalability in what is called demand response.
In a technical note, the agency states that the combination of home automation, electric mobility, new loads, and energy storage creates conditions for a more efficient response to demand, contributing to the widespread adoption of time-of-use pricing, especially among larger consumers in the low-voltage sector.
Impacts on distributed generation
The proposal worries stakeholders in distributed generation, who see a risk of loss of competitiveness in solar photovoltaic systems installed based on projections using conventional tariffs.
The central point of the criticism is that, with the White Tariff, the consumer generates energy during the day – when the price is lower – and consumes it from the grid at night – when the price is higher. This can reduce monthly savings and increase the payback period for the investment.
In the current model, without time-of-use variation, the offset between injected and consumed energy tends to be more balanced. With different prices, the consumer ends up "selling cheap and buying expensive," putting pressure on the economic viability of small solar systems.
However, the Agency lists five main motivations for the change:
Aligning the economic signals of low voltage with practices already established in medium and high voltage;
- Reduce operational risks related to system security in low-load scenarios;
- Correcting distortions caused by subsidies to incentivized energy sources and to micro and mini-distributed generation;
- Overcoming the low effectiveness of voluntary adherence to the White Tariff;
Leverage evidence that consumers with higher consumption respond better to price signals.
Finally, the migration will require replacing the current meters with equipment capable of recording consumption hour by hour.
The replacement should be carried out by the distributors as part of their regular modernization plans. The costs will be recognized in the periodic tariff review process, as is the case with other investments considered prudent.
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