A recent report reflected a significant change in the energy subsidies scheme at the national level: There were 20% more homes that lost the entire national benefit in relation to 2024both in the natural gas and electricity service.
In the province of Córdobathe data show that in the case of gas naturalthe number of users in the Level 1 (N1) “That is, those who do not receive any subsidy.” increased 21% compared to July 2024. While last year there were 282,252 residential usersthere are currently 341.705what represents 59,453 more homes Without subsidy.
In electrical energy something similar happened. According to data from the Ersepthe entity that regulates the service of EPEC and cooperativesthere are currently 616,626 Users N1in front of the 512,393 last winter: son 104,233 families that this year they must fully face the cost of energy.
Levels: impact on vulnerable users
The most worrying phenomenon, according to the report, was the generalized shift between levels. “The most vulnerable users, level 2, passed to level 3, which corresponds to average income users, and those of average income rose to high income”it was indicated.
In the case of gasusers of Nivel 2 (N2) They descended a 17%by passing 276,618 to 230,890 homes: son 45,728 less families With social rate. On the other hand, in electricity, the fall was of the 18%with a reduction of 122,463 households: there was 676,075 in 2024 And now they are 553.612.
As for the Nivel 3 (N3)average income users, the data show a slight fall in gas, with 4,807 less users (3%), but an increase in electricity: it went from 302,484 to 328,173 families In that segment.
More than 40% already pay full rate throughout the country
In this context, 45.7% of the 747,416 gas users in Córdoba is paying full pricewhen in the previous winter it was the 38,2%. At the same time, N2 went from 37.4% to 30.8% and the N3 dropped from 24% to 23%.
In electricity, the situation was similar: N1 users went from 34.3% to 41.1% of the provincial total. The N2 dropped from 45.3% to 36.9%and the N3 rose from 20% to 22%according to the Ersep.
Nationally, 42% of households – more than 6.9 million – pays the complete cost of electricityand the 44% of gas users pay 88% of the cost of productionaccording to the report presented by Guillermo Francos before the National Congress.
Refradradamiento and stricter controls
The Subsidies segmentation It was devised by Martín Guzmán and more firmly applied by Sergio Massawho determined that all users, except who asked to keep it, would lose the subsidy. In 2024, under the management of Luis Caputowith ordered the crossroads with official databases and mandatory registration for those who received social rate.
“At first, people made affidavits and with that nation data distributed users according to the consumption segment. Now, with the Sintys they began to corroborate that there were inaccuracies.”he explained José Luis Scarlattohead of the Ersep. The purification of the register caused strong changes in the distribution of subsidies.
Since June 2024, N2 and N3 have a subsidized monthly consumption limitboth in gas and electricity. In parallel, the government applied progressive increases in rates: Users N2 They were the most affected, with 745% rises in gas and 465% in electricitywhile the N1 already paid the full price. (With voice information)
