The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) published Normative Ordinance No. 5, of April 5, 2021, yesterday (08/04), which extends until April 30, 2022 the validity of the guidelines established in Ordinance MME No. 504 / 2018. The regulations provide for the possibility of temporarily dispatching thermoelectric plants using natural gas, which are operationally available and do not have a contract for the sale of electric energy in force, under certain conditions.

The proposal is the result of a decision by the Electricity Sector Monitoring Committee (CMSE), as discussed at the 242nd Regular Meeting of the CMSE, on December 7, 2020.

These guidelines aim to increase the energy supply in the subsystems of the National Interconnected System (SIN), which, eventually, may result in the reduction of the system's operating costs, in addition to expanding the possibilities of selling electricity to sector agents, generating income and employment, thus moving the economy as a whole.

In addition, as highlighted by the CMSE, this is a relevant measure, especially in the current context of unfavorable hydrometeorological conditions and low storage in the reservoirs of hydroelectric plants. In this sense, it is necessary to adopt exceptional measures to deal with the service to the load, the lesser degradation of the storage of the equivalent reservoirs of the hydroelectric plants and maintenance of the governability of the hydraulic cascades.

Given the emergency and temporary nature, the projects may have included some fixed costs at the variable unit cost of generation and will not be subject to the penalty for failure to supply fuel. The ventures will also not bear the financial repercussions resulting from the possible apportionment of default in the short-term market.