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Peronist Senators Propose Differential Power Rates for Argentina’s Norte Grande

The plan tests support for targeted aid in hot northern provinces under pressure from higher power bills.

Overview

  • Peronist senators introduced a unified 20-article bill to create a special electricity rate for the 10-province Norte Grande, drawing pushback from La Libertad Avanza and a wait-and-see stance from Radical senators.
  • The draft offers 50% discounts for low-income households and 35% for middle-income users and social entities.
  • It removes caps on subsidized use, limits future price hikes to wage or wholesale price benchmarks, and sets 0% VAT for homes without natural gas.
  • The program would be run by the national Energy Secretariat with provincial regulators, with quarterly reports to Congress and a public registry of beneficiaries.
  • Backers point to the 2021 ‘Zona Fría’ gas policy as a model that targeted discounts to cold regions.