Amid the energy crisis that the country is experiencing, along with low reservoir levels, various measures have been revealed in recent weeks that leaders of different cities have had to implement.
On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the company Air-e launched a campaign aimed at raising public awareness about energy conservation during the crisis. The initiative is aptly named "Save Now or Never." "In accordance with the national government's guidelines and in response to the current energy situation in the country, Air-e, a company committed to sustainable development and environmental care, has joined campaigns aimed at promoting energy saving. The company seeks to contribute to the recovery of the energy matrix, especially that of hydroelectric origin, which is crucial for the stability of the national electrical system," stated a press release. From Air-e, it has been said that it is necessary for all Colombians, not just those in the Caribbean, to come together at this time to overcome the energy and reservoir issues.
"In line with these initiatives and in anticipation of the program that the government will soon launch for energy management—as stated by the minister—who announced penalties for excessive energy consumption up to 60% depending on economic stratification. And benefits for those who save," detailed the company. According to the company, the initiative aims to educate users about responsible resource use, promoting efficient energy consumption, and providing tools for each household and company to take concrete actions to reduce their demand.
Additionally, in collaboration with other entities in the sector such as Intergremial, actions have been intensified to reduce demand without affecting the productive activity of the region. Here are some recommendations to consider:
The penalties from the CregThe Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (Creg) has established new measures to penalize energy waste and promote more responsible use among users in Colombia and for those who save energy, there will be compensation.
In Resolution 101.042, the Creg set conditions that specify how users can be compensated for their energy savings or how they can be charged additional rates for higher consumption. This decision will remain in effect until the Creg decides otherwise, for a maximum period of six months.
"The present resolution establishes a transitional program of incentives for efficient energy use by users, through a scheme of differential tariffs and disclosure programs that must be applied by retail electricity marketers in the National Interconnected System, with the aim of promoting the recovery of the country's reservoir levels and preventing potential shortages," the resolution stated.
According to the Creg, those who waste energy in tanks during drought periods will be charged a tiered rate as follows:
The payment will be based on the total amount collected from consumption above average and the number of kilowatts saved during the program.
Additionally, the additional revenues generated by each energy distributor from users who exceed the reference consumption will be paid proportionally as an incentive to those with a lower reference consumption level.
