In line with the
provisions of the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) to fight
the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19), Neoenergia has expanded the
availability of digital channels and suspended power cuts for over 14
million household clients on all concession areas of its provider
companies. The measure addresses the provision of the National
Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) and comprises the states of Bahia
(Coelba), Pernambuco (Celpe), Rio Grande do Norte (Cosern), inland
São Paulo and five municipalities of Mato Grosso do Sul (Elektro).
The non-payment cut activity will be suspended for 90 days, as per
Normative Resolution of the regulatory entity, decided by the Aneel
Board of Directors this Tuesday (24).
Despite the
exceptional suspension of cutoff activities, Aneel requested that
clients that are able to pay their bills honor their contracts and,
thus, avoid any additional charges. The recommendation of the
regulation agency emphasizes the importance of the power sector for
the economy and State revenue, who use the resources to implement
public policies and, at this moment, to fight the coronavirus. The
power bill often works as a means of revenue for hospitals and
charity institutions, which depend on these resources to keep
providing services.
Considered that
the service is essential to the population, provider companies will
keep teams working around the clock to ensure proper supply of power
to clients. In this sense, all efforts from Neoenergia and its
provider companies will be to enable, above all, hospitals, health
care units, public and private institutions to remain working, in
addition to providing comfort and well-being to thousands of
families.
Due to this
situation of public health emergency, Aneel established that provider
companies are to be carry out on-site services. Therefore, power
bills will be sent electronically from now on, by means such as
e-mails or bar codes through applications. The company urges its
customers to register or update their electronic addresses and
request the e-mail invoice function, in replacement of mail delivery.
As a preventive
measure, and in line with recommendations from the Ministry of Health
and Aneel, to counter the advance of the coronavirus, Neoenergia had
already ordered its on-site customer service agencies to be closed
and implemented measures of social isolation. In order to supply
client demand, the company has provided several options of digital
channels to request commercial and emergency services, available 24
hours a day, with the same quality and agility. Provider companies
were also authorized by Aneel to charge by average consumption, to
avoid exposing meter readers and customers to possible virus
infection. Another option argued by the regulatory body is that the
meter reading is carried out and sent to the company by the customer
him/herself, already practiced by some people. All these measures
seek to contribute towards social isolation and inhibit the spread of
the virus.
This initiative is part of theIberdrola group's response to the Coronavírus.
