RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Faced with the water crisis and rising electricity prices, which in July increased to R$9.46 per 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed (up 52% over June), the Brazilian Association of Energy Suppliers (ABRACEEL) in partnership with Datafolha surveyed Brazilians’ opinion on the current outlook for the electricity sector.
The survey was conducted through 2,081 interviews in 130 cities across Brazil in May.
Most consumers (83%) consider electric energy expensive or very expensive, and 53% blame the problem on the incidence of taxes on the tariff.
For 19%, lack of sector competition is the main reason for high prices. This observation is more pronounced among people who have completed higher education, live in metropolitan regions, and belong to the A/B class.
The survey also asked about the impact of the hike in electricity bills. For 67%, the electricity tariff weighed more heavily on the family budget and 61% reduced their electricity consumption.
With more people at home because of the pandemic, electricity costs increased according to 78% of consumers.
Back to work
With vaccination progressing in the country, Brazilians are now spending less time at home: 65% have started to go out frequently to work or to perform other activities.
Among residents in the North and Midwest, 73% began to work in person, compared to 66% in the South and 65% in the Southeast.
Professionals from the more favored socioeconomic strata lead the return to in-person activities. Among class A and B workers, 70% say they have returned to in-person professional activities, against 57% of classes D and E.
One in 4 Brazilians leave the house only when necessary, while 6% are living as normal and 3% don’t leave the house at all. Among men, 7% claim to have returned to their pre-pandemic routine, compared to 4% of women.
With respect to people who remain in total isolation, the elderly represent the predominant group: among people over 60 years of age, 6% are in this position, compared with 2% of people up to 49 years of age.