Measure aims at protecting public assets and preserving the social character of that activity

 

The Bill 4154/08, proposed by the Deputy Eduardo Valverde (PT/RO), which is being processed at the Chamber, prorogates the terms for the concessions on generation and distribution of electrical power, and regulates the situation of the cooperatives of rural electrification.

The author of the proposal highlights that, until 2015, government companies such as Cesp, Copel, Cemig and the ones connected to the Eletrobras group, will undergo a new bidding process, for the exploitation of public services.

According to the congressman, the electrical-power sector is worried that that fact could generate social problems, such as unemployment, in addition to depreciating those companies. For Valverde, moreover, “the consequences of the financial crisis in real economy and in the stock market still need to be carefully evaluated.”

According to the deputy’s evaluation, the prorogation of terms for the concessions is a necessary action to “protect public assets and social interest”.

Prorogation terms
For the power-generation area, the bill prorogates for 15 additional years the concessions granted before the Law 8.987/95, and considered as valid for the established term in the contract or in the concession act, at the moment that law was enacted. The Law 8.987/95 defines rules for the concession and the permission on public-services providing. According to the bill, the prorogation should be required by the concessionary.

For the concessions on electric-power distribution, the bill enables the possibility of prorogation for 10 additional years, after the prorogation term conceded in case of regrouping of concessionaires, provided for in Law 9.074/95, which establishes rules for the granting of prorogations in the concessions and permissions of public services.

In the case of prorogations in the distribution area, the requirement can be made by the concessionary or by the conceding power.

The bill also provides for the regulation of the permissions conceded to the cooperatives of rural electrification. The objective is to classify them as concessionaires of electrical-power public services. Therefore, the bill defines that the actual service-providing operation of the cooperative will be assessed.

Procedure
The bill is being processed in conclusive character and will be analyzed by the Committees on Agriculture, Animal Industry, Supply and Rural Development; Mines and Energy; Labor, Administration and Public Service, and on the Constitution and Justice and Citizenship.

From the newsroom/MS
Editing - Maristela Sant'Ana
Translation - Positive Idiomas Ltda