Electricity tariffs rise in Chile and Venezuela amid service concerns

Electricity users in Chile and Venezuela are facing significant tariff increases amid concerns over service quality and data privacy.

In Chile, electricity rates are expected to rise by an average of 10% this month, marking a cumulative increase of 60% since 2024. The Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustible (SEC) reports that smart meter replacements have reached 40% of Chilean households. Critics argue these digital meters, while intended to track passive consumption, may also be used to collect sensitive consumer data, such as usage patterns and appliance types, which could facilitate targeted marketing and planned obsolescence.

In Venezuela, specifically in the Sucre state, Fedecámaras has denounced exponential increases in electricity bills for commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. These hikes occur despite frequent power outages and daily rationing of up to six hours. In some areas, service interruptions have lasted up to nine hours. Fedecámaras Sucre president Abelardo Kasabdji stated that Corpoelec is attempting to pass the costs of grid tension and lack of investment onto citizens, charging for energy demand that does not align with actual consumption due to the ongoing outages.