Regulatory challenges for smart grid developments in Brazil

Summary form only given: In this panel presentation, we address regulatory challenges for the development of smart grids in Brazil, with focus on the deployment of smart metering technology and of the implementation of demand response programs. We identify particular issues of the Brazilian system that have led to the implementation of general policies and specific regulatory mechanisms that might not be adequate in a smart grid context, and discuss how those policies and mechanisms could pose barriers for rolling out necessary infrastructure and implementing specific consumer empowerment programs. Possible alternatives to overcome the identified regulatory challenges are also addressed.