By José Rigane, Deputy Secretary of the CTA Autónoma and Secretary General of FeTERA
In the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires the power cuts in December 2017 were 4,117,983, that is, 60% more than in December 2016. The data was provided by none other than the ENRE (Argentina’s National Electricity Regulatory Body).
This occurs after the national government told us that the rate hike was going to solve all the problems and that the energy companies were operating at a loss due to the previous rates.
However, after more than a year with systematic increases in tariffs, and with other increases planned for 2018 and 2019, power cuts to users are on the rise.
Far from approaching a system with more and more investments and benefits for people, we are getting worse.
As we have been saying from the FeTERA and the CTA Autónoma, the rate increases are not intended for “rate corrections” or the promise of “investments” in the sector, but are mainly part of an economic plan to increase the profits of companies like Edesur and Edenor.
We do not get tire of denouncing this scam carried out by the electricity distributors in collusion with the Government of Macri and Aranguren.
As we have been denouncing, power outages are the tip of the iceberg of an energy model based on maximizing the profits of private companies, which have local and foreign speculative capital.
We believe that what needs to be changed is the privatization and foreignization model for a public model, 100% state-owned and with a management that includes workers, users, sectoral bodies and social organization. A new type of state management.
In short, what we are talking about, and what we fight for every day, is the construction of an energy model of sovereignty because energy is a human right and a social good and belongs to the people, energy is not a luxury good.
Access to energy is essential for a decent life.
