New ANEEL regulation establishes definitive guidelines for thermal power plant costs.
The National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) has taken a significant step in regulating the electricity sector by approving a new regulatory framework for the accounting of operational costs of thermal power plants.
The decision, made this Tuesday, aims to replace temporary procedures that have been in place, establishing permanent criteria that will bring greater clarity and predictability to the sector.
This measure directly impacts how the variable and fixed costs of these important generation sources are calculated and passed on.
The regulatory improvement emerges as a result of Public Consultation No. 21/2025, which gathered contributions from various market agents.
The new rules, which update Module 16 of the Commercialization Rules, were developed to comply with Normative Resolution No. 1.093/2024, promoting greater alignment between energy contracts and cost calculation mechanisms.
A central point of the new standard is the definition of a clear process for the approval, updating, and monitoring of the Unit Variable Cost (CVU) of thermal power plants, especially for those whose contracts do not provide for specific adjustment mechanisms.
CCEE takes center stage in cost management and updating
With the formalization of the new guidelines, the Electric Energy Commercialization Chamber (CCEE) assumes a central role in the implementation and monitoring of the changes.
CCEE will be responsible for executing periodic updates of CVU values and for closely monitoring the financial impacts of the new methodologies on the energy market.
Additionally, the new rules also detail the management of the Fixed Cost Portion (PCF), crucial for the recovery of operational and maintenance expenses of thermal power plants.
ANEEL highlighted that the new regulation addresses specific situations that could generate distortions.
One of them refers to cases where thermal power plants declare an operational CVU lower than the value approved by the Agency.
To avoid overvaluation of recovered fixed costs, parameters were created that harmonize accounting in the Short-Term Market (MCP) with the calculation of the recovery of these expenses.
Another important adjustment concerns the calculation of fixed costs in scenarios of substitute generation, where one plant operates in place of another due to energy security needs.
ANEEL sought to ensure that cost recovery calculations are aligned with the energy effectively accounted for in the market, preventing values from exceeding what is financially recognized.
These updates reinforce ANEEL’s commitment to efficiency and transparency in the electric power sector.
