President Jair Bolsonaro signed provisional measures to exempt Amapá consumers from paying electricity bills for the last 30 days.
The cost to the Treasury with the operation will be up to R$ 80 million. The government will offset the expense by anticipating the end of the IOF (Tax on Financial Operations) exemption on credit.
Amapá is experiencing an electricity crisis. A blackout started on November 3, after a fire in the Macapá substation.
Electricity was interrupted in 14 of the 16 municipalities in the state, which concentrate about 90% of the population. Part of the service was restored, but a new blackout hit the state on the 17th.
In a visit to the state on Saturday (21), the president said that those affected by the blackout would be compensated in the electricity bill.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon