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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.  

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This initiative is part of theIberdrola group's response to the Coronav​írus​.

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