Original article: Se viene el alza en las tarifas eléctricas: Experto advierte impacto desigual en hogares según el territorio, los ingresos y el tipo de vivienda Various estimates indicate that, by July, a national increase of 2. 4% in residential electricity bills will take effect, a rise that will be significantly larger in the southern regions of the country. According to economist and academic Carlos Villalobos Barría from the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Talca, this situation raises concerns about families living in cold areas, in poorly insulated homes, and with limited heating options.
The expert emphasized that the discussion should not be limited to the average impact of this new increase, as energy conditions for households in Chile vary based on location, income, and housing type. «We have an absolutely heterogeneous reality as a country. These increases will be very asymmetrical in the south, where many families require heating and consume electricity intensively.
In cities like Valdivia and Puerto Montt, increases could exceed 16%, according to estimates from the Foundation Energy for All,» said the academic. In his view, this discrepancy highlights a weakness in public policy design, as access to electricity is often viewed as a standardized connection, without considering that its usual use changes according to family circumstances and the territory they inhabit. «Rather than always focusing on the bill price, we should look at long-term construction standards that enable families to have lower bills,» pointed out Professor Carlos Villalobos.
In this context, he stressed the importance of energy efficiency for real household conditions, emphasizing the need to consider insulation type and housing construction standards, as these factors directly affect families’ expenses during the winter months. Additionally, another factor that should be reviewed, according to the academic from the University of Talca, is the existence of old electricity supply contracts between generating and distributing companies that influence the prices paid by regulated customers. «The electricity prices we pay are based on contracts that are quite old, some prior to 2014, meaning we are paying prices linked to outdated technological realities, which warrants analysis,» he indicated.
Furthermore, the expert warned that there is an accumulated debt in Chile due to tariff freezes. He explained, «Since 2019, tariffs have been frozen due to social unrest, followed by Covid-19, and this has led to an accumulated debt of approximately 5. 5 billion dollars, which, according to projections from the National Energy Commission, could reach 6.
5 billion by 2035 with interest. » We will continue to provide updates.