Residents complain about the value of their electricity bills Consumers in Passo Fundo, in the south of Rio Grande do Sul, face long queues at the RGE branch to contest the significant increase in electricity bills. Given the volume of complaints about invoices that tripled in value from one month to the next, Procon has already suspended payments on at least seven invoices and notified the concessionaire. The case will also be taken to the Public Ministry. ? Access the g1 RS channel on WhatsApp Businessman Willian Ruan Moraes reports that the bill jumped from R$201 in June, with consumption of 444 kilowatt-hours (kWh), to R$759 in July. consumption increased by 150 kWh, but in a much smaller proportion to the increase in charges. "We had an increase in consumption of 25%, but the bill rose almost 300%. It was quite discrepant, let's put it that way, in relation to the value of consumption and the value of payment", he states. He, who has photovoltaic panels installed at home, claims to have found similar inconsistencies in the accounts of six family addresses. Ana Clara Andrade de Oliveira was also surprised by the charge. Her bill went from R$751 the previous month to R$2,207. "I think it's absurd, because I don't spend all that, I work all day, so I think it's absurd," says the trader, who claims she is unable to pay the new amount. Manicurist Jenifer Bueno dos Santos, who used to pay a maximum of R$420, received an invoice for R$954. At the agency, she was informed that the company would carry out an analysis. "They gave me a paper with an analysis that they have up to five days to come to my house, to see if they will solve the problem or not, but they didn't tell me if they would lower the value or not, they told me that they could do a re-reading", he reports. The CPFL Group, controller of RGE, justifies that the increase in bills is motivated by the annual tariff adjustment authorized by the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) and the greater energy consumption in winter. Since June 19, electricity has become, on average, almost 15% more expensive for consumers served by the concessionaire. Procon of Passo Fundo monitors the cases. The Procon coordinator in the municipality, Alana Schütz, highlights the flaws in the service. "The queue has been taking a long time. We have elderly people, pregnant women who are taking a long time to receive care. And even though the electronic channels are also deficient, which makes people look for the physical agency", he highlights. The Consumer Desk at the University of Passo Fundo (UPF) also recorded growth in demand for guidance. According to the service coordinator, Rogerio da Silva, on Tuesday alone, 17 consumers were received in person, in addition to dozens of telephone contacts. "We know that there was an increase of more than 14%, but these are still very significant values ??that need to be explained by the company", points out Rogerio. According to him, as it is a collective demand, the agency will forward the situation to the Public Ministry to evaluate the opening of an investigation. Consumer received an electricity bill worth more than R$ 2,200 in RS Reproduction/RBS TV Note from CPFL RGE "It is common that, in periods of extreme temperatures — both on the coldest and hottest days — the average energy consumption in homes undergoes changes. This happens mainly due to the more frequent use of household appliances such as heaters, electric showers, fans, air conditioning and even refrigerators, which need to work harder to maintain the ideal temperature. CPFL RGE clarifies that this scenario can be the result of a combination of factors typical of the season. In addition to the natural increase in consumption, the annual adjustment, authorized by the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) in June, also impacts the bill value. On June 19, the CPFL RGE tariff adjustment, approved by Aneel, came into force. transmission system and sectoral charges, in accordance with the rules established for the sector. For the distribution of electricity, the only part that CPFL RGE manages, ANEEL establishes efficient revenue for the company. How to understand your bill: The electricity bill shows the consumption history of the last 12 months, allowing the customer to compare periods and check whether there has been an increase in energy use. Check the consumption. of the main equipment and suggestions for small precautions you can take to save money: The electric shower is the device that consumes the most energy in a home. When using it in "winter" mode, the increase in consumption is up to 30% compared to "summer" mode. VIDEOS: Everything about RS