Brazil expands energy‑poverty relief, delivering new refrigerators and widening Luz do Povo program

Equatorial Pará handed over 80 new energy‑efficient refrigerators to low‑income families in Itaituba as part of the E+ Geladeira Nova initiative, replacing older, power‑hungry models and offering additional services such as social‑tariff registration, debt negotiation, LED‑lamp swaps and energy‑use education.

The federal Luz do Povo program, launched in July 2025, now reaches about 78.3 million electricity consumers – roughly 20.6 million families – across Brazil. It guarantees free electricity for consumption up to 80 kWh / month for eligible households and, from 2026, adds a Discount Social that exempts the Energy Development Charge for families earning between half and one minimum wage with consumption up to 120 kWh / month, covering an additional 4.2 million connections. The scheme is funded by the Energy Development Account, with a 2026 budget of R$ 10.4 billion and disbursements of about R$ 5 billion in the second half of 2025.