EN 
PT_BR 
The capacity level of Brazilian reservoirs will reach even more critical levels in November, due to the effects of the water crisis. The statement was made by Christiano Vieira da Silva, secretary of electrical energy at the MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy), this Tuesday (17), in a public hearing held by the Mines and Energy Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. “We should arrive in November, with the reservoirs operating at very low levels, with something around 11 to 14%. The lowest record we reached in this period was in 2014, with 19% in the interconnected system,” he said. “When we just look at the conditions in the Southeast region, we are talking about reaching 8%”, he revealed. According to him, the predicted scenario considers the repetition of the volume of rain recorded between October and December of last year. “We are imagining the same scenario in 2021, with little rain,” he commented. “It is a very adverse scenario that we are considering. If the rain comes, we will have a more comfortable situation”, he highlighted. According to data from the MME, Brazilian hydroelectric plants have not operated with more than 80% of their storage capacity during the rainy season for nine years. In November last year, during the dry season, capacity was around 30%.
Measures taken
During the meeting, the secretary said that the Brazilian water scenario is worrying and that actions are being taken to avoid the risk of shortages. Among the measures are the activation of thermoelectric plants and the purchase of energy from neighboring countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay. The executive also pointed out that the Department reduced the water flow at the Jupiá and Porto Primavera plants; established minimum operating quotas for the reservoirs of the Ilha Solteira and Três Irmãos hydroelectric plants, and made the operation of the reservoirs on the São Francisco River more flexible. According to Silva, actions were taken to stock up on water resources and ensure greater activation of thermoelectric plants by the end of the year. “Water needs to be saved so that it can be used when the system needs it most, which is basically at the end of the dry period, in October and November,” he said. The secretary also cited other actions that are being taken, but none involve investments in renewables. The main measures are awareness campaigns for the conscious use of water and electricity, and the anticipation of thermal plants and transmission lines under construction since May this year.
Tariff flags
The public hearing of the Chamber of Deputies also included the participation of Elisa Bastos Silva, director of ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency), to talk about the increase in the value of tariff flags, which, in 2021 alone, registered three consecutive increases. The executive said that she understands that the increases harm consumers' finances, especially those less fortunate, but reiterated that the country is going through a time of water scarcity and that there are no alternatives other than charging a higher price for the use of energy. “We are experiencing the worst water crisis in the last 91 years. So, in this case, tariff flags are a way of making the criticality of this situation transparent,” he stated. Despite not confirming it, Elisa left it to be understood that new increases in red flag 2 should take place in 2021, as the increases are not being able to replace the cost of operating thermal plants. In July, the entity approved a readjustment of 52% in red flag 2 and the price rose from R$ 6.24 to R$ 9.49 for every 100 kWh consumed. “Even with the approval of these new values, there is still concern about the risk of a deficit in the flagship accounts, due to the increase in generation costs”, he commented. “The amount we charge at the brands, in theory, has to be enough to cover this balance, but from January to June we have already accumulated a negative balance of R$ 3 billion. Not increasing red flag 2 would mean tariff pressure in the 2022 adjustments”, highlighted the director of ANEEL. According to Elisa, without a reduction in consumption, the costs of thermal power plant dispatches are expected to reach more than R$ 11 billion between January and November this year. “Depending on the evolution of consumption, these costs could be even higher, due to new exceptional measures, with more expensive thermal generation and energy imports from neighboring countries”, he highlighted.
Renewables
During the meeting, the director of ANEEL also highlighted the importance of renewable sources in the diversification of the national energy matrix, which in 2006 was 85% hydraulic and 14% thermal. “Today, hydroelectricity fell to 62%, while thermal plants account for 25%. Wind and solar energy correspond to 10% and 2%, respectively,” she said.
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For the executive, the growth of two clean energy sources deserves much attention. “We have seen consecutive records of wind generation in the Northeast, at times even exceeding total demand”, he commented. “On the other hand, photovoltaic solar generation has grown, mainly in distributed generation solutions. Furthermore, it should grow even more in the coming years in hybrid projects, especially in associations with existing wind farms”, he highlighted.
