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Entry · Consumer

Tariff flag

When is there a surcharge per kWh on the electricity bill?

● checked against the primary source on Sep 30, 2026Source: ANEEL

Acronyms: ANEEL, Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In one sentence

ANEEL system that signals to consumers the cost of generating energy: the color defined for the month (green, yellow or red in two levels) indicates whether there is a surcharge per kWh consumed, and how much.

Real example

Tariff flag triggered

Yellow: R$ 0.01885/kWhNature of the data: Observed

Sep 2026 · captive consumers of the SIN

Source: ANEEL, Bandeiras Tarifárias. Reference up to Sep 2026. Captured on Sep 30, 2026.

The color triggered in the month and the surcharge per kWh it represents.

See in the panel: Electricity bill: tariff flags

Observed: Value published directly by the official or primary source.

Why it matters

According to ANEEL, before the flags, variations in generation cost were passed on up to a year later, in the next tariff adjustment; with them, the cost appears in the month of consumption. The green flag adds nothing to the tariff.

How it is measured

Surcharge in reais per kWh consumed, according to the level triggered in the month. On the open data portal, ANEEL publishes the monthly triggering and the surcharges of each resolution in R$/MWh (R$ 0.01885 per kWh is 18.85 R$/MWh).

Unit: R$ per kWh consumed (published in R$/MWh)

Not to be confused with

What cannot be concluded

  • It does not apply to consumers located in isolated systems.
  • The values of each level change by ANEEL resolution; past months follow the table in force at the time.

Related entries

In the learning paths

Official source

  • ANEELPage “Sobre Bandeiras Tarifárias” (captured on Sep 30, 2026) 

    In other words: the color of the flag signals the cost of generation, and every consumer served by the distribution utility pays according to the flag, except in isolated systems.

    Literal excerpt from the document
    Portuguese only“Bandeiras tarifárias é o sistema que sinaliza aos consumidores os custos reais da geração de energia elétrica. [...] Todos os consumidores cativos das distribuidoras são faturados pelo Sistema de Bandeiras Tarifárias, com exceção daqueles localizados em sistemas isolados.”

  • ANEELPage “Sobre Bandeiras Tarifárias”, section “O que significa cada cor e quanto custa?” (captured on Sep 30, 2026) 

    Literal excerpt from the document
    Portuguese only“Bandeira verde: condições favoráveis de geração de energia. A tarifa não sofre nenhum acréscimo; Bandeira amarela: condições de geração menos favoráveis. A tarifa sofre acréscimo de R$ 0,01885 para cada quilowatt-hora (kWh) consumidos;”

Documents accessed and text checked on Sep 30, 2026.