Diario Oficial de la República de Chile · 05 Sep 2026 · 1 vistas
Chile excludes September 2026 from electrical peak hours
Por FactBox Admin
The Ministry of Energy of Chile published Decree No. 13T, dated August 19, 2026, which modifies Decree No. 4T/2026 regarding the fixing of node prices for electricity supplies, exceptionally excluding the month of September 2026 from the peak hour charge period. The measure, signed “by order of the President of the Republic” by Minister Ximena Rincón González, was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile No. 44,543, on Saturday, September 5, 2026 (CVE 2866512).
The decision responds to a request from the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism, which through official letter OFIC202607362, dated August 3, 2026, requested an evaluation of the exclusion of the month due to lower economic dynamism, higher energy costs, and fuel price volatility derived from the international scenario.
What changes in peak hours
The decree modifies point 3.3 “Peak and off-peak hours of the SEN” of Decree No. 4T/2026, replacing the expression “, August and September,” with “and August,” wherever it appears. Consequently, September 2026 will no longer be counted as a peak month, while the rest of the provisions of Decree No. 4T/2026 remain fully in effect.
- Peak hours remain between 18:00 and 22:00 hours.
- Peak months are limited to April, May, June, July, and August.
- Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays of said months are excepted.
- The remaining hours of the year are considered off-peak hours.
The Commission’s technical support
The National Energy Commission issued exempt resolution No. 436/2026, dated August 18, 2026, which modified resolution No. 59/2026 and section 1.9 of the final technical report to exclude September as a peak hour month. The National Electrical Coordinator, through report DEAS-GM-SEN No. 19/2026 “Supply Security Study Period July 2026 - June 2027”, dated July 28, 2026, evaluated under conservative scenarios that there are no supply deficit conditions for September 2026.
The Comptroller General of the Republic processed the decree with scope via official letter OF165838/2026, dated August 31, 2026, signed by Comptroller Dorothy Pérez Gutiérrez, taking into account the Commission’s technical information regarding the absence of a supply deficit.
Impact for industry and households
The exclusion of September from the peak period grants productive sectors greater flexibility to carry out their economic activities at different times of the day, as the peak hour charge will not apply to them during that month. The decree itself justifies this as a measure to promote productivity, investment, economic growth, and job creation, while maintaining the security and reliability criteria of the national electrical system.
For consumers, the measure represents a transitory relief of energy costs within a context of pressure on the competitiveness of the productive apparatus, without altering the tariff structure for the remainder of the year.
Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,543, Saturday, September 5, 2026, General Regulations, page 1 of 3 (official reference: CVE 2866512, decree No. 13T).