What Eduardo Leite said about monitor and oversee the execution of energy distribution concessions

Today I took part in the accountability hearing of CEEE Equatorial, five years after the start of the electricity distribution concession in Rio Grande do Sul. The accountability hearing is a fundamental instrument for the State, regulatory agencies and society to monitor the provision of an essential public service, with transparency about investments, results and challenges. The change in the model for providing this service represented a step change in investment capacity. While the former public company faced limitations in meeting regulatory requirements and making the necessary contributions, even failing to pass on to the State the ICMS collected, the concessionaire reported today investments of around R$ 4.5 billion between 2021 and 2025 and a forecast of another R$ 1 billion in 2026. This volume of resources expands the conditions to modernize the electrical infrastructure and strengthen the resilience of the grid in the face of the increased frequency of extreme weather events. Electric power is a strategic infrastructure for the State's development. It underpins the functioning of essential services, economic activity and the attraction of investment. The role of the State is to closely monitor the execution of the concession, supervise compliance with obligations and ensure that the population receives an increasingly better service.