Aneel Pressures Government on Enel Rio Concession Decision

The National Electric Energy Agency has demanded an official position from the Ministry of Mines and Energy regarding the future of the Enel Rio concession. The distributor's contract ends on December 9 and the lack of clarity creates uncertainty about operations after that date.

In August, the Aneel board recommended extending the service for another three decades. Despite this technical recommendation, the federal government has not yet formalized the necessary decision to keep the company in charge of serving 3.1 million properties across 66 municipalities.

The regulatory agency sent a formal letter questioning whether there are any additional pending measures. The document highlights the lack of a conclusion regarding the renewal or the transition model if the contract is not extended.

The Federal Court of Accounts ordered Aneel to finalize its audit of quality metrics and power supply interruptions within 120 days. The court validated the economic and financial requirements but left the final decision on contract continuity to the government.

Enel states that it has met all requirements and that the audit covering the 2022 to 2023 period was closed without finding any inconsistencies. Decree 12.068 provides for the temporary provision of service by another company if the concession is not renewed and requires a new bidding process.