RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Since 2015, Brazilians’ electricity bills have risen more than twice the rate of inflation. Data from the Brazilian Association of Energy Suppliers (ABRACEEL) show that the domestic tariff has accumulated a 114% increase – compared to 48% inflation in the same period, a difference of 137%.
In addition to annual corrections in the tariffs, the past few years have been marked by the creation of new charges and costs directly passed on to consumers.
On average, the cost of electricity rose 16.3% per year between 2015 and 2021. As a result, the country’s official inflation increased by 6.7%.
The increase is a consequence of the rise in charges and subsidies, the use of thermoelectric plants – more expensive – and the energy contracting model.
The high price of energy, up 21.21% in 2021, influenced the IPCA for the year, which closed at 10.06%. The Central Bank’s target was 3.75%.