EN 
PT_BR 
A STF decision (Supreme Federal Court) of including tariffs for the use of distribution and transmission systems (TUSD and TUST) in the ICMS calculation basis may cause the energy bill in Rio Grande do Sul to rise approximately 9% from March this year year.
This decision could cause losses to consumers who, last year, paid up to 30% at the same rates. This is the assessment of Luiz Alberto Wagner, CEO of HCC Solar Energy.
“The ICMS was only levied on the sale of merchandise, in this case, electrical energy. Making ICMS applicable to TUST and TUSD, that is, on energy transportation, will increase the calculation basis and will certainly leave more expensive energy bill in Rio Grande do Sul”, explains the executive.
Wagner also adds that, in this case, the installation of solar energy panels has been a viable way to save on electricity bills and can be a solution for consumers to deal with the rise that will come in March. “Own and sustainable generation of electricity can be one of the best alternatives for consumers in Rio Grade do Sul to save on their electricity bills”, he assesses.
The expectation, according to the executive, is that, although there is a charge for excess energy generation by photovoltaic panels, which are injected into the grid and reused by nearby units, there will be significant advances in the coming years so that the cost of power generation falls.
Renewable energy has grown exponentially throughout the national territory, especially in Rio Grande do Sul. Data from ANEEL indicate that the state has 1.9 GW of installed power in solar energy, with more than 223 thousand photovoltaic systems installed and more than 295 thousand UCs (Consumer Units) receiving credit.
