Asunción, Agencia IP.- Chancellor Rubén Ramírez announced that the energy tariff for Itaipu in 2024 will be defined by Presidents Santiago Peña and Lula Da Silva in a meeting expected to take place before the end of this year.
«This is a decision that the Presidents will finally discuss and adopt,» said Ramírez at the end of a meeting of the Itaipu Council on Friday, of which he is a member along with the Minister of Economy, the legal advisor to the Presidency, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, the Head of Cabinet, and the President of ANDE.
The last resort of the high-level authorities will be invoked in the absence of an agreement between the boards of the binational entity. The Chancellor indicated Brazil’s position is to maintain the energy tariff at $16.71 kW/month. At the same time, Paraguay wishes to increase this tariff.
Energy sale rate
The Itaipu energy rate remained at $22.60 kW/month between 2009 and 2021, a result of an agreement to pay off the debt for the construction of the hydroelectric plant. In 2022, Brazil requested a reduction to $18.95 kW/month, and Paraguay requested the amount to be maintained.
Finally, in August of that year, the tariff was agreed to be $20.60 kW/month. In 2023, the same situation occurred, with Brazil requesting a decrease and Paraguay requesting to maintain. This year’s agreed tariff remained at $16.71 kW/month.
For 2024, Paraguay wishes to increase the tariff to finance development projects, Chancellor Ramírez announced. The final decision will be discussed among the contracting high-level authorities.
He recalled President Santiago Peña’s vision is that Itaipu should not only be an energy generator but also a driver of development for Paraguay and Brazil.