Pará, with eight million inhabitants, has one million more than Maranhão, with its seven million in round numbers. However, Maranhão has 30 thousand more energy consumer units than Pará. According to data from Aneel, the federal electricity agency, the CUs served by Cemar total exactly 2,278,898. Those served by Celpa total 2,148,720.
The discrepancy, which is not at all mysterious, can now be resolved. Both Celpa (with 100% of the shares) and Cemar (with 65%) are now controlled by Equatorial Energia, a company with assets worth 15 billion reais and whose shareholders include Burger King, Unidas, PDG. Le Biscuit, Inbrands and other partners.
Both Cemar and Celpa were insolvent when Equatorial took over. The concessionaire from Maranhão has already surpassed its neighbor from Pará in all indices, from quality of services to reduction of losses and defaults, revenue and profitability. The challenge now is Celpa.
Based on the comparative figures for the two states, it is clear that Celpa has become the worst company in the Brazilian electricity sector. It reached this situation due to poor management and poor supervision by the government. After undergoing judicial recovery for two years, under the weight of a debt of 3.8 billion reais, now all that is left for it is to go bankrupt once and for all and lose its concession. The government needs to intervene and hold a new auction in search of an interested group, with a negative rerun.
The moment is delicate. It needs the attention and action of the new concessionaire, the population and the authorities. It would already be a thankless task in itself were it not for the pernicious campaign by the Liberal group, unleashed by the whim and thwarted personal interests of the main executive of the Liberal group, Romulo Maiorana Júnior.
A source close to Celpa said that the corporation’s debt will continue to be collected, since it protects 150 consumer units, including many private residences with high energy demand (such as Júnior’s mansion in the luxury Lago Azul residential complex in the metropolitan area of Belém). The debtors will have to settle their past debts and assume the monthly energy bill, which the executive of Organizações Romulo Maiorana wants to transform entirely into an exchange for advertising for his media outlets.
If his wish is granted, Celpa, which has a budget of R$3 million for advertising this year, would have to budget R$8 million for the Liberal group alone. In addition to providing a bonus for the default, setting a bad example for consumers without privileges, it is absurd given the company’s lack of resources for its priority expenses.
If it is forced to comply with Romulo Maiorana Jr.’s whims, Celpa may even give up the concession if it faces stronger pressures than the current ones. This is what citizens need to think about when they submit to the willful campaign led by someone who considers himself the king of Pará.
