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Setor Elétrico
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Entry · Quality and losses

Group of consumer units (electrical group)

In which areas are the duration and frequency of interruptions monitored?

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

Acronyms: ANEEL, Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency; DEC and FEC, Equivalent interruption duration and frequency per consumer unit.

In one sentence

Subdivision of a distribution utility's area, generally formed by one or more distribution substations, in which ANEEL monitors DEC and FEC and sets the limits.

Real example

Groups with annual DEC above the limit

25.7%Portuguese onlydos conjuntos com 12 meses e limite de DECNature of the data: Calculated

Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Brazil

Source: ANEEL, Indicadores Coletivos de Continuidade (DEC e FEC): valores e limites. Reference up to Dec 2025. Captured on Sep 30, 2026.

Share of the groups with 12 months determined whose annual DEC exceeded the limit defined for the group itself.

See in the panel: Quality of supply: sets and limits

Calculated: Deterministic transformation made by Scrutiniums, with a published formula.

Why it matters

It is the smallest unit of the published collective indicators. Since coverage varies widely, a group might serve several small municipalities and a populous municipality might have several sets: the group is not the municipality.

How it is measured

Each group has an ANEEL code, a number of consumer units per month and annual DEC and FEC limits. The relation between groups and municipalities comes from the “IndQual Município” database, without the number of units of each group in each municipality.

Not to be confused with

  • Municipality

    The group is a subdivision of the distribution utility's area, generally formed by one or more distribution substations. In a municipal DEC map built by assigning groups, the value is that of the whole group, not a measurement in the municipality.

What cannot be concluded

  • A municipal DEC map built by assigning groups shows the value of the whole group, not a measurement in the municipality.

Related entries

See in the panel

Official source

  • ANEELANEEL page “Qualidade do fornecimento de energia elétrica” (Topics, Distribution), published on Jul 1, 2024 and updated on Apr 29, 2026 

    Literal excerpt from the document
    Portuguese only“Os indicadores coletivos, DEC (Duração Equivalente de Interrupção por Unidade Consumidora) e FEC (Frequência Equivalente de Interrupção por Unidade Consumidora), são acompanhados pela ANEEL por meio de subdivisões das distribuidoras, denominadas conjuntos de unidades consumidoras.”

    In other words: the group follows the grid (the substations), not the political map; that is why it does not coincide with municipalities.

    Literal excerpt from the document
    Portuguese only“Os conjuntos geralmente são formados por uma ou mais subestações de distribuição (SED). Assim, os conjuntos possuem grande variação de abrangência: diversos municípios pequenos podem ser atendidos por um único conjunto, ao mesmo tempo em que municípios populosos costumam possuir vários conjuntos.”
    Literal excerpt from the document
    Portuguese only“A ANEEL estabelece, com a mesma periodicidade das revisões tarifárias das distribuidoras, os limites para os indicadores DEC e FEC dos conjuntos de unidades consumidoras.”

Documents accessed and text checked on Sep 30, 2026.