Deputies in favor of PL 5829 (Bill No. 5829/2019) took advantage of the protest carried out by professionals and entities in the solar sector, at the Esplanada dos Ministérios, in Brasília, this Tuesday (08), to emphasize the importance of approving the text.
The proposal, authored by deputy Silas Câmara (Republicanos-AM) and whose rapporteur is deputy Lafayette de Andrada (Republicanos/MG), basically extends the collection of charges and fees for the use of transmission and distribution systems to micro and mini electricity generators.
In the understanding of the deputies, the measure will bring more legal and regulatory security for the sustainable growth of the Brazilian electricity sector. “This demonstration shows the appeal that this project has for all of Brazil. There are people who came from all regions of the country and we know that they are mobilizing and talking to the representatives of their states”, said Lafayette, in an interview with Canal Solar.
According to the proposal's rapporteur, the text has everything it needs to be approved in the Plenary, including, with a large margin of votes, when it is put to a vote. “I have no doubt that the majority of deputies in the Chamber are in favor of the project. We are just waiting for President Arthur Lira (Progressistas/AL) to decide on it”, he stressed.
When asked about the criticisms that the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcelo Ramos (PL/AM), and opposition deputies have made of the project, Lafayette stressed that he sees the demonstrations as natural. “The debate has to happen, but what saddens me is when they keep spreading fake news and blurring the truth, with the intention of confusing the population. That is what we see that the opposition has been doing”, he highlighted.
Also in an interview with Canal Solar, Congressman Evandro Rogério Roman (Patriotas/PR) stated that Tuesday's act generated a positive impact for the sector in the Chamber. At the beginning of the year, the congressman ed an amendment to PL 5829, providing for the inclusion of 10% of DG in the Brazilian energy matrix, before any change in the other rules already in force.
“This is the voice of 180 million people in Brazil who use up to 167 kW and who are currently paying the red flag. Whoever is here today is carrying on their shoulders the defense of cheap and clean energy. I am sure that after today we will approve this text, as what prevails is the popular will and the people are represented here”, he said.
Asked about voting on the text, Ramon said he believes the measure should be voted on in the second half of this year. “This week the text was not on the agenda, because we have some provisional measures in front of it. We are negotiating to get it on the agenda next week. I believe that by mid-July we will vote on the project definitively in the Chamber”, he highlighted.
In the opinion of Bárbara Rubim, vice president of Distributed Generation at ABSOLAR (Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy), the vote on PL 5829 in the second half of this year would be a victory for the solar energy sector. “I think it would be important if we could approve this project before the deputies' recess to prevent it from cooling down,” he commented.
Rubim also highlighted that it is normal for the law approval process to be turbulent. “It is important that people understand that it is relatively normal for projects to take time to be voted on and discussed. And, in our case, we have the opposition of a very strong parliamentarian, who is the vice-president of the House (Marcelo Ramos)”.
