Some customers of the energy distribution companies ENSA, EDEMET, and EDECHI will face an increase in their electricity tariff during the first half of 2026. In the case of EDECHI, about 99% of customers will not experience tariff variations, as they remain covered by current subsidies. ENSA customers with consumption exceeding 300 kWh will register an average adjustment of 2.74%, which may vary depending on the applicable tariff, while EDEMET would be around 3.7%. The subsidy for customers provided by the state is about US$45 million for ENSA and US$30 million for EDECHI. Both companies assured that they will not increase their tariffs, they are only adjusting due to the end of the subsidy. On this occasion, the tariffs were not announced by the Public Services Authority (ASEP) in its usual forum, it was up to each company to do so, without giving further details. The adjustments are concentrated in customers with consumption above that threshold, as a result of the end of the Additional FET and the application of the new tariff schedule approved for the January-June 2026 period. ENSA informed in a statement that, as of January 1, 2026, the new tariff schedule for the first half of the year comes into force, along with the expiration of the Additional FET, which was in effect between July and December 2025. During this period, 71.5% of ENSA's customers will not perceive increases in their electricity bill. Consequently, the vast majority of residential customers will not experience increases in their electricity bill. In the case of EDEMET, the tariff schedule confirms that 67% of its residential customers remain below the 300 kWh monthly mark and do not present increases in the electricity tariff. According to the companies, this adjustment is not due to a tariff increase, but to the expiration of the Additional FET, a temporary subsidy implemented by the State. In general terms, the majority of customers will not feel increases in their electricity bill during the first half of 2026. In ENSA, 71.5% of customers do not register adjustments, while 28.5% do experience variations, mainly associated with consumption above 300 kWh. The company indicated that the final amount of the bill depends directly on the levels of consumption. The company said that ENSA currently serves 548,535 customers, of which 81% are concentrated in the province of Panama, including the metropolitan area, which represents 57% of the city of Panama. In the concession area of EDECHI, the company reported that approximately 99% of its customers maintain the current subsidies of the Tariff Stabilization Fund (FET) for BTS customers with consumption less than or equal to 300 kWh, as well as the Western Tariff Fund (FTO), extended by the State until June 2026. In EDEMET, 67% of customers remain without increases, and the remaining 33% do face adjustments. This group corresponds mainly to residential customers with BTS tariff, with consumption between 0 and 300 kWh monthly, who continue to receive the ordinary FET. ENSA customers with consumption exceeding 300 kWh will register an average adjustment of 2.74%, which may vary depending on the applicable tariff. Customers who exceed that consumption level will face an adjustment, associated with the expiration of the Additional FET and the application of the new tariff scheme.
