The companies provided by the public services of Gas transport and distribution Natural by Networks Le They asked the government that the self -employed Increased rates around 45%which translates into a Impact on the final tickets of users around 15%. In addition, they requested a scheme of monthly increases of their income so that they do not lose against inflation and the funds for investments are guaranteed.
On the other hand, some distributors They opposed the mechanism that devised the National Gas Regulatory Entity (Enargas) for separate the municipal rates from the invoices and avoid service cuts if users pay them partially.
Thus it arises from the presentations that sent the companies Gas Transporter del Norte (TGN), South Gas Transporter (TGS), Metrogas, Naturgy, Camuzzi, Ecogas, Gas and Gas Coastwhich will serve as supporting documents for the Public Hearing that next Thursday, February 6 from 9.
The Government anticipated that the top for rates increases will be 9.9% (less than two digits) for users above inflation from Aprilso it is ruled out that the proposals of the companies will be rejected and their investment plans will have to be adjusted to lower income availability.
However, the spirit of private sector executives is not so much to access the rates they claim, but rather that the government specifies the Standardization of the sector with the quinquenal revision tariff (RQT) and contribution certainties for service in the next 5 yearsuntil December 31, 2029.
In summary: regulated companies want qwhat is going to be agreed -Unate is not all they propose- to be “credit subjects”: Recover access to money loans from international banks and investment fundswhich will allow financing the operation of public services, operating, maintaining and eventually expanding the networks and, as a consequence, that your signatures are revalued in the market.
What do gas companies ask for
In one of the documents, Naturgythe multinational that operates the former Natural Gas Buenos Aires Norte (BAN) in the west and north of the Buenos Aires Conurbano and Gasnor, in Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy, revealed that last year it had increases of its income -the added value of distribution ( VAD)- 15% after April, when the sector had begun to be normalized after years of tariff freezing.
The company said that the polynomial formula that indexed from May 2024 inflation rates, and past salaries and construction rates would have yielded increases of 69.2%. This update mechanism was suspended by the government – despite the fact that agreements had been signed – to slower inflation faster.
The rise was decided at the discretion of the government and resulted in 15% between August and December, so The percentage difference is 47.2%.
In that sense, it stands out within the presentation of Metrogas what Look for a monthly automatic increase of its rates, just like Camuzzi. TGS proposed that the polynomial formula be composed of 40% due to the evolution of salaries, 30% due to wholesale inflation and 30% for the cost of construction.
Gas transport has a weight close to 16% in the final invoice of users. The own cost of gas production or imports reaches 27%, the distribution margin by 34%and taxes 23%.
According to TGS, which requested a rise of 22.7% on its margins, “the average invoice would have a 3.6% increase for metrogas users” only for transport, without counting taxes.
TGN, on the other hand, estimated that gasnor users in Tucumán could see a rise of the final 5.9%, while those of Coastal Gas in Santa Fe would feel a 13% increase for transport only for transport, counting taxes.
Camuzzi, in turn, requested an increase of 45.8% in his margin of distribution and reminded the government of the tax hole that causes the cold zone regime, since it pays VAT for 100% of the gas but charges hardly 50% to 70% of the fuel, which subsidizes the State to Patagonian and other regions.
Meanwhile, Metrogas, on the other hand, considered “inconvenient and unnecessary” The gas is cut if they do not pay the portion of the rates, because it believes that it would generate problems for service management.