Framework for distributed minigeneration projects in REIDI

MME launched a public consultation to address the issue; understand
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MME instaurou consulta pública para tratar do tema; entenda
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As released by Canal Solar, on January 17, 2024, the MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy) initiated Public Consultation No. 159/2024 through the Ordinance No. 765/GM/MME, to address the legal requirement for distributing minigeneration projects to be included in the REIDI (Special Development Incentive Regime).

The accelerated growth of DG (distributed generation) projects in Brazil is nothing new. According to data provided by ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency), distributed micro and minigeneration added 7.4 GW in installed power, reaching around 26 GW and also reached at least 625 thousand new systems connected to the electricity grid. distribution.

In this sense, with the advent of the Distributed Generation Framework, through Law No. 14,300, of January 6, 2022, in order to support the advancement of DG and expand the possibilities of capturing financial resources and benefits, distributed minigeneration was included in the list of electricity generation infrastructure projects eligible for REIDI, under the terms of the sole paragraph of article 28 of the aforementioned legislation.

Although the sole paragraph of article 28 of the Law was vetoed by the President of the Republic at the time, the National Congress rejected it and allowed its inclusion.

Even so, to date, there is a gap between the publication of the law and the actual obtaining of the benefit. This is because the legislation establishes that they would only be able to enjoy the benefit of REIDI following an authorizing order from the MME, which has not occurred to date.

After around two years between the inclusion of the permission in the GD legal framework, CP 159/2024 was opened. Through Ordinance No. 765/GM/MME, distributed minigeneration projects will be able to enjoy the expected benefit of REIDI.

The respective benefit is widely used in the energy sector, with approximately 3,460 (three thousand, four hundred and sixty) entrepreneurs having the benefit, as indicated in the Report on Enterprises included in REIDI within the scope of the MME.

As with other infrastructure projects, to qualify for the benefit it is necessary to fulfill requirements set out in Decree No. 6,144, of July 3, 2007, which regulates REIDI.

Therefore, according to the decree, the infrastructure projects eligible for classification and qualification in REIDI are:

  • generation, cogeneration, transmission and distribution of electrical energy; It is
  • production and processing of natural gas in any physical state.

In line with the aforementioned REIDI Decree, the proposed regulations for requesting classification of REIDI distributed minigeneration projects determine the following procedure for request, namely:

  • Firstly, the enterprise holding the infrastructure project must request inclusion in REIDI from the Ministry responsible for the infrastructure sector to which the project for the implementation of works is part;
  • Distributed minigeneration projects owned by a private legal entity, in accordance with Decree No. 6,144/2007, can be included in REIDI upon request to the electricity distributor, to which the respective consumer unit is connected;
  • Requests to qualify for REIDI must be made using an Information Form, containing (a) the data of the legal entity holder (or future holder of the consumer unit with minigeneration); (b) information on the electrical energy infrastructure project; and (c) estimates of investments and tax suspension;
  • After receiving the requests, the distributor will evaluate the requests and also check whether they correspond to the data provided for in the Distribution System Use Contracts (CUSD) and licenses/authorizations by the consumer;
  • By electronic means, until the tenth business day of the month following the date of submission of the request for the distributor to forward to ANEEL any information mentioned in item (ii) above and the result of its evaluation;
  • ANEEL will analyze the request for REIDI classification, with a view to certifying whether the request is in line with legislation and regulations, including the compatibility of investment estimates and the amount of tax suspension.
  •  After analysis, it will forward to the MME its recommendation regarding the classification of REIDI;
  • The MME will also evaluate it and the project will only be considered a priority after publication of an MME ordinance, as described in § 3 of art. 6th of Decree No. 6,144, of 2007.

Despite the opening of CP 159/2024, sector agents must remain alert and actively contribute to the debates.

After waiting for regulation, there are points of attention that must be evaluated with caution due to the expectation that requests will be made to distributors and that ANEEL will participate in this process, which must certainly imply delays in this entire process, which may harm the effective obtaining of the benefit within the schedule for the implementation of DG projects.

Agents must contribute within 30 days from the publication of the CP with the aim of improving the current procedure proposed by the benefit request regulations for distributed minigeneration projects.

To access the public consultation, click here.


Pedro Dante, is a partner in the energy and infrastructure area of the Lefosse office. Lawyers Leonardo Balbino and Victória Viola contributed to the article.

 

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Pedro Dante
Partner in the energy area at Lefosse Advogados. President of the Regulation Studies Committee of the Brazilian Institute for the Study of Energy Law. Coordinator of the Energy and Arbitration Committee of the Business Arbitration Chamber. Arbitrator at the Chamber of Measurement and Arbitration of Western Bahia. Effective member of the OAB/SP Energy Law Commission. Lawyer specializing in regulatory matters related to the electricity sector with over 19 years of experience in the sector.

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