Electricity tariff: Which appliances cost the most and how to avoid exceeding consumption limits even with subsidies

The government officially announced the cuts this Wednesday Subsidy In Electricity Tariffswith a greater impact on middle- and low-income users, who will see their bills increase by more than 155% in some cases. But cuts were also applied to the subsidized consumption limit for each household.

The arrival of winter implies more consumption energySo this change in the amount of subsidised electricity each household receives could result in larger bills.

As per the current subsidy split, there are three types of users: High (Level 1), low (Level 2) and middle (Level 3) income. However currently no users cover the full cost of energy, those known as N1s have no bonus on their bill.

For their part, the subsidized consumption limit for middle-income (N3) people was 400 kWh per month until May and was reduced to 250 kWh per month from June. Electricity used above that limit will be considered surplus that distributors will charge without subsidies.

Until May, low-income users (N2) had no consumption limit, meaning they received assistance regardless of their electricity use. From June they will have a limit of 350 kWh per month and will have to pay in full for the rest of the electricity used.

In this framework, it is important for all households to know how much energy the appliances or devices in the home consume. N2 and N3 represent approximately 11 million users. EdesurOne of the two distributors of Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA)made an estimate for a 70 square meter house with the following appliances that consumes 267.97 kWh per month:

• Refrigerator with freezer: Consumes 68 kWh per month if operated 24 hours a day.
• 5 kg automatic washing machine: Washing clothes twice a week consumes 4.72 kWh per month.
• Centrifugal dryer: Uses 6.84 KWh with use four days per week.
• Iron: Using it twice a week consumes 13.50 kWh per month.
• 1.7 litre electric kettle: Consumes 5.29 kWh when heating water every day.
• Air conditioning: Using it three times a week costs 65.33 KWh, about the same as a refrigerator.
• Hair dryer: its consumption is quite high, since it uses 22 kilowatts per month if it is used for 50 minutes a day throughout the week.

• Hair straightener: If it is switched on for 25 minutes a day, five times a week it consumes 0.23 kWh per month.
• Microwave: Using it every day can consume 10.08 KWh.
• Cell phone charger: If three family members charge their cell phones every day, the consumption is 2.89 KWh.
• Computer (CPU): Using it 3 hours per day per week costs 19.90 kWh.
• 19-inch LED monitor: If the monitor is turned on for 4 hours a day, it generates a consumption of 2.77 KWh.
• LED lamps: The house has 10 LED lamps which burn for 4 hours a day, energy consumption is 13.86 kWh
• Fluorescent Tubes: With two fluorescent tubes, the cost is 5.67 kWh.
• LED TV from 32 to 50 inches: If there are two of these appliances in the house, which are on for 5 hours a day throughout the week, the consumption is 28.35 kW.

According to official data Secretary of EnergyN1 has 5.3 million users, N2 has 8 million and N3 has 2.7 million users. That is to say, the subsidized consumption limit affects approximately 11 million families throughout Argentina, with each having a limit on their consumption depending on the residential category in which they are located.

To clarify the final bills, Enerji estimated the increase taking into account the average residential consumption of 260 kW:

● N1 will increase from $24,710 to $30,355 (22.8%).

● N3 will increase from $6,585 to $16,850 (155.9%).

● N2 will increase from $6,295 to $12,545 (99.3%).

With this increase, commercial, industrial and residential users cover 65% of the actual cost of electricity and can reach 70 percent. According to energy sources, by May the coverage reached an average of 45%. The government intends that next year everyone will pay 100% of the value of the service, but at least these six months will be a progress in this “transition plan” that can be extended for six more months.