With the collaboration of Ericka Araújo
Tony SaadCEO of Sunset Photovoltaic Electrical Engineering, has been working for years selling solar energy systems to customers in the DG (distributed generation) market in the Greater São Paulo region.
With the popularization of technology, the number of orders has increased, accompanied by the company's imminent growth.
However, despite the good results obtained, something that does not change in its routine are the constant complaints from customers regarding possible delays by Enel-SP in the approval process of the systems sold by the company.
“We are fortunate that customers know that they will benefit from the system for more than 20 years. So, this initial delay of a few months becomes a little less bitter, but there are customers who have already accumulated more than R$3 in losses with the system stopped”, explains Saad.
He also says that, in some cases, the distributor takes more than 120 days to carry out a technical inspection of customers.
“I have a case that has been delayed for more than four months and has already gone through the Enel Ombudsman, the ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency) and is now in Procon, who asked for a deadline to respond by June 6th,” he says.
Despite being serious, the situation experienced by Saad is far from being just an isolated case, as other integrators heard by the Canal Solar also reports problems with this and others distributors.
“I have projects in Rio de Janeiro, which Enel has been putting off for four months. The clients have already filed a lawsuit and we have already involved them. ANEEL. For now, we have not had any results”, says Othon Procópio, application engineer at Solis Solar.
“We have also had problems with the Light due to delay in response and failure to meet deadlines of more than three months. The customer calls and the employee often says that he cannot help, but that if he wants he can continue trying to call. It’s absurd!”, he reinforced.
On Reclame Aqui, one of the main sites in the country for questions against companies about customer service, purchase, sale, products and services, several complaints against the majority of distributors in the country are registered every week when the subject refers to delays in the approval of systems photovoltaics in DG plants.
Searched for by Canal Solar, both Enel and Light did not respond to questions made by email until the time of publication of the report.
Deadlines and implications
According to Normative Resolution No. 1.000 – the current regulatory framework in force in the country – the deadline for analyzing DG projects to issue an access opinion is 15 days for cases without the need for work on the energy distribution network and 30 days for cases where there is need for works.
The deadline for analysis of minigeneration projects is up to 45 days, regardless of the need for work on the network, while analysis access consultations last 30 days.
The Resolution also provides for the installation of a bidirectional meter at the inspection site, with the deadline for carrying out the service depending on the local voltage, as follows:
- 5 working days in installations with connection up to 2,3 kV;
- 10 working days in installations with connection between 2,3 kV and 69 kV;
- 15 working days in installations with a connection greater than 69 kV.
If the distributor fails to respect the deadlines, it may be subject to penalties. However, even in cases where the distributor suffers penalties, consumers end up being harmed by the delay, as they have their generation ready, but without the possibility of injection into the grid.
Comments (8)
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Gentlemen, I've heard reports that there are people earning money to advance processes, that is, those who pay get quick results and those who don't pay dance and wait sitting down because it will take a long time. Let these complaints reach the PF, MP and others and if these corrupt profiteers really exist, let them pay in accordance with the law.
When a company fails to meet a deadline or has a problem with deliveries, there may have been something outside the normal operating conditions of the company or some external factor that got in the way in some way. But when this becomes a recurring occurrence, without fear of being wrong, the problem lies in the incompetence of the management. If the company's director does not realize that there is a failure, he needs to be replaced. But if he does realize, he must take the necessary measures so that his manager below him in the hierarchy delivers what is due to him within the deadlines, otherwise, he must be replaced. But since there are no punishments for them, only for the consumers who are waiting for the release of their solar system, this disorder will always occur, unfortunately. I sincerely hope that ANEEL be aware of this.
The problem is concentrated in ENEL, all of their concessionaires are late (São Paulo and Goiás), even smaller concessionaires such as CEEE in Porto Alegre work 100 times better than ENEL, I give top marks to CPFL and ELEKTRO, as the service is fast, has its own system for the designer, does not involve the end client and meets all deadlines with quality for everyone involved!!!!
Simple solution, copy the email of the president, technical area, director, etc. If I don't have one, call me, as I have solved several cases here in Greater SP.
Luciano, what can I do to resolve biased technical analyzes to disapprove inspections of photovoltaic projects, where can I get the emails from the president, technical area and board of directors, Thank you. Ailton Dias
As always, everything in Brazil is like this. Those who would have to take action and punish the guilty do not do so and the consumer pays for it. I suffer from the same problem with Enel in Rio.
What are the main reasons for delay
alleged by the concessionaires?
My name is Ivonildo, I am the owner of JP Solar.
I have been experiencing this absurdity since last year. This year there are 4 Installations, 1 at Light and 3 at Enel which have been delayed since February. We even had to file some requests again, as the ARTs expired.
We all know that today, customer referrals are the best marketing for promoting our services. And this delay on the part of the concessionaires is frustrating our customers and thus denigrating the image of our company, because when we close the deal we inform the schedule and it is not being fulfilled.
Our client generally finances the system and failure by the concessionaires to meet the deadline results in the payment of the electricity bill along with the provision of financing.