Starting November 1st, electricity and gas tariffs will increase by an average of 3.8%, as per various resolutions published today by the Secretariat of Energy. This body, led by María Tettamanti, issued the regulations governing the price hikes, and according to them, gas bills will rise by 3.8%. The electricity tariff schedule will be announced on Monday, but it will be of a similar scale. The planned increases exceed the projected October inflation rate of 2.5%. They also surpass average wage adjustments, as most collective agreements come with salary increases below the inflation rate. This is compounded by the adjustment in fuel prices, as a partial increase in the included tax has been ordered. It remains to be seen what decision the oil companies will make to determine the size of the increase. It should be recalled that the government removed the obligation for them to communicate the adjustment percentages on a monthly basis. In this way, the effect is diluted in the cost structure that they record over time and is not pre-included in budgets or final prices.
