By Andrea Hargraves 
July starts this Friday with a “rise and fall” in gas and electric bills.
In the former case, natural gas prices in the regulated market will rise 3.3% from today and 3.9% in October from the previous month, following the announcement made in early June by the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE).
Thus, on October 1, there will be an increase of 8.2% for 2022-2023, compared to the previous year (2021-2022) according to ERSE, which indicated that “taking into account energy tariff updates throughout 2022., consumers in the subject market will experience Regulation has an average increase of 3.9% in October 2022 compared to the previous month.”
These updates relate to sales tariffs for the domestic sector (consumption less than or equal to 10,000 m3/year) still in the regulated market.
“It is important to note that the regulator’s decision comes in the context of high uncertainty, which is characterized by a lack of supply in the face of demand for raw materials and energy due to the epidemiological situation of the Covid-19 virus and the war in Ukraine,” he stressed at the time.
He added that this situation “exacerbated the rise in energy prices in wholesale markets, which raised fears of a scenario of low economic growth and high inflation, which significantly affects consumption and gas prices.”
But it’s not all bad news. On the other hand, ERSE approved a 2.6% decrease in the price of electricity, in the regulated market, as of Friday, July 1.
“For consumers who remain in the regulated market (921,000 customers representing 6% of total consumption) or who, being in the free market, have opted for a similar tariff, the variance in normal tariffs for Low Voltage Sales to End Customers (BTN) corresponds to the proposal for a reduction of -2.6 %, compared to the values currently in effect,” he revealed in a statement issued in mid-June.
According to the regulator, “domestic consumers of electricity note, within five years, a cumulative decrease of -3.7% in the final price.” In turn, “consumers with a social tariff continue to benefit from a 33.8% discount on sales tariffs to end customers.”
ERSE explained that “this reduction is justified by the early return to consumers of benefits above those initially expected in the cost differential with production under the special system (PRE), with guaranteed wages, contracts for energy acquisition (CAE), as well as additional revenue. greenhouse gas emissions auctions.