The Chamber of Industries rejected the rate increase requested by the National Power and Light Company (CNFL) for generation and distribution. The cost per kWh generated by the CNFL is ¢117, while the ICE can sell it at ¢52.6.
According to the representatives of the industries, this difference is due to investments in which the CNFL has incurred with little control, such as the Balsa Inferior project, which cost more than three times the budgeted amount.
ARESEP has rejected excessive or unnecessary investments to provide the service and its law requires it to remain in that line, so we reject the insistence of the CNFL to seek approval for those increases in the generation rate,”
explained Sergio Capón, vice president of the group.
An analysis of the growth of electricity demand in the CNFL reports an average annual increase of 0.87% in the last seven years.
The Chamber questions the lack of adjustments to improve efficiency and reduce costs, instead of punishing the consumer with increases of 4% to 5% per year, due to this low growth in demand.
In a statement, the group said that although the CNFL does not have to pay the ICE for the power at night, this company does charge the industry in Medium Voltage Rate.
Based on this analysis, the Chamber concluded that the CNFL provides higher industrial rates to other companies in the country, as well as the average in countries of the Americas and Europe, and that it has room to improve its efficiency.