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The Social Electricity Tariff program, implemented by the government, provides families experiencing social vulnerability with significant discounts on their electricity bills. However, many citizens are unaware of this benefit and consequently pay higher bills.
It is worth noting that the discounts can reach up to 65% per month. In addition, although this program is not new, it has undergone recent changes, which has caused confusion regarding the eligibility criteria.
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Initially, the Social Electricity Tariff offers discounts to citizens registered with the Single Registry (CadÚnico). Previously, obtaining the benefit required an in-person application at the local energy distributor.
Nowadays, the benefit is granted based on the information in the CadÚnico. Therefore, those who wish to benefit from this government program must keep their information up to date. If they do not, they may lose the discount.
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Criteria for the energy discount
Updating CadÚnico is crucial to be entitled to a discount on the electricity bill. If it is not updated, the energy distributor cannot grant the benefit and, consequently, the citizen is excluded from the program, becoming ineligible for the benefit.
It should be noted that citizens must update their data in CadÚnico every two years and whenever changes occur in their family, such as a birth, death, or change of address.
Another situation that requires attention is when the person registered in CadÚnico is not the account holder of the electricity bill. In this scenario, the distributor cannot cross-reference the information of beneficiaries of the Social Electricity Tariff.
To guarantee the discount, citizens must go to a distributor's branch to change the account holder of the electricity bill. In summary, the person responsible for CadÚnico must be the same person listed on the electricity bill.
Discount on the electricity bill
Additionally, the amount of the discount is proportional to the beneficiary's energy consumption. In other words, the lower the consumption, the greater the discount. This is reflected in the electricity bill that the citizen receives monthly.
According to Neoenergia, in Pernambuco, 161,000 citizens are at risk of losing the benefit because they have not updated their information in CadÚnico. In Maranhão, more than 53,000 families are in the same situation.
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Social Electricity Tariff
To continue receiving the discounts, citizens must keep their data updated. This can be done at a Social Assistance Reference Center (CRAS) or, in the case of Pernambuco, through the Neoenergia website.
The government created the Social Electricity Tariff to benefit low-income families, with discounts of up to 65% on their electricity bills. For Indigenous and Quilombola people, the discount reaches 100%. To be eligible, the average income must be up to half the monthly minimum wage.
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To complete the process, citizens must have an updated CadÚnico registration and a Social Identification Number (NIS). Even those who do not receive Bolsa Família can benefit from the discount on their electricity bill. BPC/LOAS beneficiaries are also entitled to the benefit, using the Benefit Number (NB).
