The finance minister said on Wednesday that measures to mitigate the rise in energy prices will save consumers around 815 million euros on electricity and gas bills.
This figure, put forward by Fernando Medina during a hearing in the Budget and Finance Committee, includes different time periods for electricity and gas. So, and in the case of electricity, the estimated savings are until the end of the year, during which time it should be 500 million euros.
In the case of gas, it is estimated that the measure allowing consumers to return to the regulated market will save €315 million within a year, this value being calculated on the basis that only half of customers switch to the regulated market. regularly.
“[Através] of the Iberian electricity mechanism – where the price of electricity was decoupled from the price of gas – between June 15 and August 15, the benefit to consumers amounted to 150 million euros,” said the finance minister.
Extrapolating to December 31, it is estimated that this mechanism “will save Portuguese consumers 500 million euros in their account”, the official said, specifying that the same is equivalent to saying that “there will be 500 million euros in the accounts of the electricity companies, which will not be in the unexpected profits”.
On the gas side, at the opening of the regulated tariff, the minister explained: “If we consider the foreseen and announced price increases in the liberalized market compared to the regulated prices, already with increases announced and assuming the passage of all consumers, the profit that will be there is 630 million euros”, or 315 million euros if half goes through.
These figures were presented by Fernando Medina in response to the many questions raised by various opposition parties about government policies regarding the taxation of excessive profits by some companies and in response to allegations that the government was not doing anything about the excessive profits of some companies. to tax. .
During the hearing, BE deputy Maria Mortágua and PCP deputy Bruno Dias remarked several times that, despite questioning the minister about the excessive profits of gas stations (in fuel), he always responded with the measures taken in the field of electricity and gas.
Still on this issue of taxing excessive profits (known as “unexpected profits”), and in response to Inês Sousa Real, Fernando Medina stated that the PAN proposal is “populist” because it does not distinguish between companies that increase profits. , because they are in fact growing or recovering, from others who benefit more from the current price situation.
Source: DN
