The electricity tariff flag in September will be red, level 2. According to the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), the forecast of a lack of rain and dry weather with high temperatures have led to the activation of thermal power plants, increasing the costs of operating the electrical system.
This is the first time in just over three years that the red flag level 2 has been activated, the last time was in August 2021. A sequence of green flags was initiated in April 2022 and interrupted only in July 2024 with a yellow flag, followed by a green flag in August.
Aneel’s announcement, this Friday (30), signals higher costs for the generation of electricity, with an increase of R$7.877 for every 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed.
With below-average rainfall forecast for next month, the volume of water in the country’s hydroelectric reservoirs is also expected to be around 50% below average. “This scenario of scarce rainfall, combined with the month with temperatures above the historical average across the country, means that thermoelectric plants, which have more expensive energy than hydroelectric plants, will start operating more,” explained Aneel.
Created in 2015 by Aneel, the tariff flags reflect the variable costs of generating electricity. Divided into levels, the flags indicate how much it costs the SIN to generate the energy used in homes, commercial establishments and industries, considering factors such as the availability of water resources, the advancement of renewable sources, as well as the activation of more expensive generation sources such as thermoelectric plants.
The colors green, yellow or red (at levels 1 and 2) indicate whether the energy will cost more or less depending on the generation conditions, with the red flag being the one with the highest cost and the green flag being the one with no extra cost.
According to Aneel, the flags allow consumers to play a more active role in defining their energy bill. “By knowing the additional amount before the start of the month, consumers can adapt their consumption to help reduce the amount of the bill,” the agency says.
“With the activation of the red flag level 2, vigilance regarding the responsible use of electricity is essential. The guidance is to use energy consciously and avoid waste that harms the environment and affects the sustainability of the electricity sector as a whole. Saving energy is essential for the preservation of natural resources,” he added.
