A resident of Mossoró (RN) won the right in court to not pay energy bills without compensation for credits generated by his solar energy system.
The decision, issued by the 5th Civil Court of the municipality, ordered Neoenergia Cosern to suspend these charges and not interrupt the energy supply to the consumer units involved in the case.
According to the process, the consumer has a solar microgeneration system in the remote self-consumption modality, duly approved by... ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency) and by the distributor itself.
Even so, he reported that he stopped receiving the credits applied to his bills between November and December 2025 and January and February 2026, relating to four units under his ownership, and began being charged the full amount for the energy.
The resident also stated that, while trying to resolve the situation, his debts were split into installments without authorization, with the amounts included in subsequent bills.
Furthermore, he received a warning of a possible power outage, which would worsen his situation, as he is elderly and recovering from surgery.
Given this situation, he went to court requesting the suspension of charges without compensation, the cancellation of installments made without consent, and a guarantee of continued service.
Upon reviewing the case, the court determined that there is evidence of a right on the part of the consumer, based on the generation data presented, which indicates surplus energy injected into the grid and uncompensated credits on the bills.
The decision also highlighted that the remote self-consumption model is provided for in the sector's regulations and that the system had been operating normally for more than two years, which reinforces the possibility of a failure in the management of the credits.
Furthermore, the risk of harm to the consumer was considered. According to the decision, electricity is an essential service and its continuity must be guaranteed.
The document further emphasizes that the possibility of service interruption, amidst disputes over charges, represents a concrete risk of harm, especially given the user's condition—an elderly person recovering from surgery—for whom service interruption could compromise their health and dignity.
Internal disputes
This energy consumer's legal victory comes amid intense disputes involving distributed generation (DG) in Rio Grande do Norte.
Although there is no formal "cancellation" of the technology, the state faces structural pressure marked by attempts to reduce incentives, raise costs, and hinder new connections to the network.
At the end of 2025, tensions intensified after consumers reported significant increases in their bills, resulting from a new interpretation by Cosern regarding the collection of ICMS (a Brazilian state tax) on compensated energy.
Following complaints to the consumer protection agency (Procon) and a strong public reaction, the charge was suspended in November of that year. Then, in March 2026, the courts in Rio Grande do Norte state once again ruled in favor of consumers, reinforcing that compensated energy should not be taxed.
Despite advancements in the legal field, the sector still faces technical obstacles, such as limitations in grid connection and instances of generation restrictions. In this context, the actions of entities like APER have been crucial in defending distributed generation in the state.
Solar energy is growing in the state, despite the challenges.
Even in the face of this adverse scenario, solar energy continues to expand in Rio Grande do Norte. In the last two years, the number of installed systems has grown by 91% in the state, going from 17 projects in 2023 to more than 33 in 2025.
Furthermore, the volume of loans granted increased by 156% during the period, according to a survey by Solfácil based on data from... ANEEL.
The numbers indicate that, despite regulatory and operational uncertainties, demand for the technology remains high, driven mainly by the search for savings on electricity bills and greater energy independence.
Rio Grande do Norte guarantees ICMS exemption on distributed generation.
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