The Secretary of Energy ordered the transfer of $104.6 million to a group of distributors that are part of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) chain, with the purpose of ensuring the supply of bottles in low-income homes within the framework of the Home Program, through resolution 240/2023 published today in the Official bulletin.
A total expenditure of $140,597,045.16 was determined for assistance corresponding to the period between February and September 2022.
The total amount was distributed among 59 assistances, although in some cases a company received the contribution through two or more assignments.
What is the Home Program about
The Home Program was created by decree 470/2015, and its financing was established through the trust fund to meet the LPG needs of low-income sectors and for the expansion of natural gas networks.
The benefit consists of a monthly amount of $602 set by the Ministry of Energy, which covers part of the price of the 10-kilo bottle, which is deposited through the National Social Security Administration (Anses), and varies according to size of the family group, location of the home and season of the year, since an additional fee may be added in the winter months in various provinces.
On April 19, 2022, Energía had extended until the end of the year the “transitory economic assistance” granted to companies in the gas bottle chain, through resolution 271/2022.
This assistance, aimed at companies registered in the National Registry of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry and arranged in August of last year, aims to solve the maximum reference prices of the Program that have not changed since July 2022, and the “variation experienced in the values and associated costs in the LPG marketing chain”.
Likewise, when the destination is other than the sale to distributors of containers of up to 45 kilos, it will become a percentage instead of a fixed sum; Therefore, the temporary economic assistance will continue to be the equivalent of 20% of the billing for the sale of LPG (net of taxes) that the companies bill monthly.
Regarding the contribution, when the destination is other than the sale to distributors in containers of up to 45 kilos, the modification establishes that “distributor companies may request recognition of 20% of the current maximum reference price for the sale of fractionators to distributors for each invoiced ton.
The companies, whose amounts of assistance were approved today, submitted the application along with the required documentation, so that the Ministry of Energy can then calculate the subsidies corresponding to each requested period.
The last modification of the values was established in resolution 168/2023 of March 17, which set the maximum reference price for producers, both for butane and propane, at $35,672 with an increase of 10% compared to the last value. February.
– For a 10-kilogram jug, the maximum reference prices, before VAT and Gross Revenues, without delivery or home sales service, are $667 for the fractionator, $1,171 for the distributor, and $1,229 to the public.
– In the case of the 12-kilo carafe, the prices are $800, $1,405 and $1,475, while for the 15-kilo bottle they are $1,000, $1,756 and $1,844, respectively.
Source: Ambito
