More than 2,4 million households need to renew their electricity bill discount.

More than 2,4 million low-income families need to update their registration with electricity distributors to maintain their benefits. Social Tariff Program, which grants discounts and even exemption from paying the electricity bill.

The number is part of a survey by Abradee (Brazilian Association of Electricity Distributors) with the four largest distribution groups in the country. Families that do not update their registrations by December 31st will lose their right to the benefit.

Currently, 16 million households are reached by the program. The Social Electricity Tariff grants low-income families a discount of up to 100% on their electricity bill. Total exemption is offered to those who consume up to 80 kWh per month.

In these cases, the bill may not be zero because it can contain charges not associated with energy consumed, such as the Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS, a state tax) and the public lighting contribution (municipal).

The discounts on the Social Tariff are funded by the Energy Development Account (CDE), a charge paid mainly by other consumers. The distributor grants the discount and is reimbursed in the exact amount of the benefit granted.

Criteria

Families registered in the Unified Registry for Social Programs of the Federal Government (CadÚnico), with a monthly income of up to half the minimum wage per person, may be eligible for the subsidized fare. Currently, the minimum wage is set at R$ 1.621,00.

According to the rules of the social program, the electricity account holder must be a member of the family registered in the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs); and the municipality of residence must be the same as that informed in the social registry.

The rules are determined by the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), an agency linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy. If there is an inconsistency between the social security registration and the account holder, the family loses the benefit. Some distributors conduct active searches, meaning they look for customers in these conditions.

To resolve the inconsistencies, it is necessary to change the account holder's name with the distributor or update the registration at a CRAS (Social Assistance Reference Center), a municipal public unit responsible for assisting families in vulnerable situations.

Equatorial

The Equatorial Group, which operates in distribution in seven states, has 1 million beneficiaries who may be excluded from the Social Tariff due to discrepancies in their registration. This contingent is equivalent to a quarter of the 4 million customers who receive the subsidy. In Equatorial's area of ​​operation, Pará leads in the number of pending issues, with 286 families.

Next in line are Maranhão (279,3), Goiás (188,1), Alagoas (167), Piauí (117), Amapá (33,9) and Rio Grande do Sul (23,8). Among the methods of proactive outreach, the company contacts residents via WhatsApp, email and, as a last resort, visits from sales agents.

neoenergy

Neoenergia, which serves 17 million customers in five states and the Federal District, has nearly 533 customers who have not yet updated their CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs) according to the new rule.

Bahia is the state with the highest number of beneficiaries at risk of losing their benefits, 304,9, followed by Pernambuco (165,6), Rio Grande do Norte (31,6) and the Federal District (16,5). There are also 14,2 with pending issues in municipalities in São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul.

Enel

At Enel, a distributor that serves more than 16 million customers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Ceará, more than 502 families have not yet regularized their account ownership.

In São Paulo, there are more than 180,6 customers with outstanding payments. In Rio de Janeiro, more than 175, and in Ceará, more than 147. One of the ways to change the account holder is via WhatsApp (21) 99601-9608.

Energisa

The Energisa Group, which manages nine distributors in 11 states, has 17% of its customers with outstanding issues in their registration. That's 393 families. The majority of them, 172, are in Paraíba.

Another 3,2 million could be eligible for a discount.

At least 3,2 million low-income families who are not currently eligible for the Social Tariff could start receiving discounts on their electricity bills. According to the Equatorial Group, almost 2,2 million households meet this eligibility requirement but are not yet registered in the Unified Registry for Social Programs (CadÚnico).

Most of them are in Pará (707 families). Next come Maranhão (489), Goiás (317), Piauí (221), Alagoas (221), Rio Grande do Sul (151) and Amapá (81). Energisa estimates that around 1 million customers in the distributor's concession area could be served by the Social Tariff.

Of these, 891 have consumption of up to 80 kWh per month, meaning they would have a total exemption on their electricity bill. According to the Law 14.203 / 2021The benefit is granted automatically by the distributors to families that meet the requirements, such as registration in the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs).

Other groups

The Social Tariff also applies to families registered in the Unified Registry with a monthly income of up to three minimum wages, provided that they have a person with a disability whose treatment requires the continued use of equipment that consumes electricity.

The subsidy is also extended to people aged 65 and over and people with disabilities who receive the BPC (Continuous Benefit Payment). For these cases, the criterion of having the CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) linked to the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs) and in the same municipality of registration also applies.

This content was reproduced from Brazil Agency.

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