By Chesney Hearst, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Families will see an estimated eighteen percent decrease in their electrical bills while the industrial sector should expect an up to 32 percent decrease in charges, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced on Wednesday, January 23rd.
“I have just signed the Act that starting [Thursday, January 24th, that] starts a strong reduction in the bills of all Brazilians […] We are giving larger reduction of rates than anticipated and previously announced,” said Rousseff during a National address.
The act signed was an electric energy tariffs reduction measure that in September of last year Rousseff had announced would reduce family energy bills by 16.2 percent and up to 28 percent for commercial industry.
During her eight minute long address on Wednesday, Rousseff defended the plan and challenged critcs who predicted that the government would be unable to reduce fees because of low levels of water in the hydroelectric plants’ reservoirs due to the recent draught.
President Rousseff stated that not only will prices be reduced but electric energy in Brazil will grow seven percent in 2013 with the continued addition of power plants and transmission lines.
“This simultaneous movement leaves us in a privileged situation in the world. This means that Brazil will get increasingly better energy and lower cost. It means that Brazil has and will have more than enough energy for the present and for the future, without any risk of rationing or any type of shortage, middle or long term,” said Rousseff.
Read more (in Portuguese).
* The Rio Times Daily Updates feature is offered to help keep you up-to-date with important news as it happens.