Ande Facturas extends bill exemption for July and August

The president of the National Administration of Electricity (ANDE), Luis Villordo, reported this Wednesday that bills for July and August that do not exceed 500 kV will be exonerated. Likewise, he said that Mario Abdo Benítez partially vetoed the law that cancels bills from ANDE and Essap.

Through Decree 3770, the Executive Branch extended the exemption from the payment of electric energy service factura ande for the months of July and August 2020. This affects those who consume up to 500 kWh per month, approximately G. 222,000 monthly. The measure also covers the billing of the Paraguayan Health Services Company (Essap), for consumption in June and July of this year.

The intention is to serve the most vulnerable sectors and the small and medium-sized companies that were affected by the health quarantine decreed in the framework of the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).

Related note: With his thumb up, Mario Abdo announces that he will veto a law that cancels bills from ANDE and Essap

ANDE chief Luis Villordo said that the fundamental objective is to reach users of the most vulnerable classes. He added that in June and July generally lower energy consumption is recorded.

"We estimate that there will be approximately 1,300,000 users who will benefit. In the month of April we had 1,180,000 users exempt from paying electricity, while in the month of May we had approximately 1,100,000; and in the month of June 1,255,000 users. In these two months the scenario of the number of users will be around 1,300,000, approximately, "he explained to a local outlet.

He added that this exemption will cost USD 35 million, which will come from the emergency funds.

Regarding the rebills, Villordo said they were fully processed. In the first month approximately 12,000 invoices were processed, while in the second month the figure rose to 22,000, and in the third month they were approximately 7,000 invoices. This relates to claims for meter reading during health quarantine.

Partial veto of the "Buzarquis law"
Likewise, the President of the Republic, Mario Abdo Benítez, partially objected to the bill that cancels and cancels invoices issued by the National Electricity Administration (ANDE) and the Paraguayan Health Services Company (Essap) during the health quarantine. The bill had been presented by Senator Enrique Salyn Buzarquis.

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According to Decree 3769, among the arguments put forward for the partial objection, the Executive Power refers that when establishing the prohibition to issue invoices without having read the meter, it favors possible situations of fraud or evasion that make it impossible to issue the invoice.

In addition, it refers that it does not specify the source of financing to settle the exemptions raised.

Villordo said that the veto is of articles 2 and 4, referring to the conditions of the exoneration of the invoices.

According to the regulations approved by Congress, the cancellation of the invoices issued by ANDE and Essap is established during the months of March, April, May, June, July and August. In the case of ANDE, it also expands the exemption line from 500 kWh to 1,000 kWh of consumption.

As approved, the amount of the invoice for the consumption of the months of March, April, May and June 2020 exceeding 1,000 kWh will be divided into 18 months, which will be established through the correct reading of the meters.

The consumption amount of these three months will be issued in a single invoice and will be added to the consumption invoice of the month following the enactment of the law Ande Reclamos