Análise Regulatória da Abertura do Mercado Livre de Energia para Consumidores de Baixa Tensão

Abstract

The Free Electricity Market is characterized by the possibility for consumers to choose their energy supplier and negotiate specific conditions such as price, term, generating source, and contracted volume. Initially restricted to large consumers, this environment has been undergoing a gradual opening process that will enable the entry of low-voltage consumer units. In this context, this work examines the opening of the Free Energy Market to low-voltage consumers, evaluating the regulatory, economic, and operational impacts associated with the transition. First, the structure of the Brazilian Electricity Sector, its agents and institutions, as well as the legal frameworks that have supported the gradual evolution of the free market over the last few decades, are presented. Based on the analysis of laws, normative resolutions, ordinances, decrees, provisional measures, and technical standards, the study discusses the requirements for market access, the role of the Retail Marketer, the function of the Supplier of Last Resort (SUI), and the main effects of migration on low-voltage consumers, considering the risks, benefits, and challenges inherent in this new scenario.