Política energética e desigualdades regionais na economia brasileira

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to assess the long-term regional impacts of tariff policy in the brazilian electricity sector. Structural reforms in the sector have led to the emergence of two distinct trends in the spatial distribution of electricity tariffs among Brazilian states: convergence and spatial dispersion. The regional disparity in tariffs in recent years has been influenced by the spatial characteristics of the brazilian economy, including the high spatial concentration and hierarchical distribution of large markets. In this sense, electricity price differentials tend to be caused by market size differences, which provide various conditions for electricity distribution companies to achieve economies of scale. Based on these elements and the evidence that electricity is an important input in the production process, an interregional computable general equilibrium model was constructed for energy policy analysis. The simulations showed evidence that input-output linkages, spatial heterogeneity in electricity intensity, and regional energy substitution differentials are among the most notable determinants of the spatial impacts of electricity price variations. On the other hand, the recent trend of spatial dispersion in electricity tariffs may be contributing to a reduction in real national GDP and increasing inequalities between regions in Brazil