With astonishment and some confusion we Colombians received the announcement a week ago from the CREG and the Ministry of Mines regarding the resolution of sanctions and incentives to stimulate the saving of electrical energy in the country, given that the level of the reservoirs at that time it was still only 2 percentage points above the critical level of 27%. The program sought, on the one hand, to pay savers and, on the other, to fine the increase in consumption.
However, the measure came very late, when the El Niño phenomenon was ending and, in addition, it undoubtedly affected sectors such as tourism, hotels and commercial sectors that would, logically, have a peak in energy consumption when the high season arrives. mid-year. As if that were not enough, once again, the inhabitants of the Caribbean ended up being the worst off due to the special tariff regime that still applies in the seven coastal departments.
Once the rules of what would be the fines and incentives scheme were known, we asked the CREG to rethink the measures so as not to further affect the fragile recovery of different economic sectors in the country. The resolution established an additional charge for each extra kilowatt that was spent, after averaging the last three invoices. For strata 1, 2 and 3, the extra kilowatt/hour would have an extra cost of 30%; for strata 4, 5 and 6 the extra cost would be 50%; and for commerce and industry, it would be 100%.
Now, our initial concern was the high economic burden that industry, commerce, and the hotel and tourism sectors would have to assume as the high season approached; since, of course, it would increase energy consumption. The second concern, and no less important, was the new blow to the citizens of the Caribbean coast who have been fighting for years against the poor energy service and assuming the highest rates in the country. It was implausible that raising the energy bill in a region that cannot tolerate another increase was contemplated.
Therefore, we celebrate that this week the CREG and the Ministry of Mines have decided to back down and not apply this scheme; As they explained, because the level of the reservoirs is already at less critical levels and because, precisely, they heeded the call of the Colombian Caribbean. Great news that must be highlighted, since if it had been carried out it would have represented a great obstacle to industrial economic reactivation and a slam of the door for the inhabitants of the coast.