[03] Paying electricity bills to become a legal citizen

[03] Paying electricity bills to become a legal citizen

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‘We chose the slum of Paraisópolis for the pilot project in the Eletropaulo service area because of its high non-technical losses. We also felt that such a project would have a high probability of success in that location’, recalls Garcia.

‘Contrary to what you might expect, most people in the favela are willing to pay for their electricity in exchange for a better quality of supply and increased safety. Their income is sometimes actually higher than that of people from the lower-middle class quarters. In fact, it is often at a level that disqualifies them for a social tariff.

One of their biggest challenges is that they live completely outside of the formal social structure: they have no official identification and no official residence. As a consequence, they cannot get a bank account, postal services, a telephone connection or other normal social amenities. If they join the electrification project however, they receive an official form which they can use for identification. In other words, they become a legal citizen, which is an advantage they greatly appreciate.’