ENERGY - Odebrecht Informa

are full and prices fall, rising again in the dry season.
Likewise, the cost of energy is higher at times
of peak demand - for example, from 6 pm to 9 pm.
“To purchase electricity at the most competitive
prices you have to know the future needs of
the plants’ operations and plan your procurement
in advance,” says Gustavo, adding: “In this sense,
the free market benefits us with a choice. In 2010,
the Energy Operations area’s negotiations saved
Braskem BRL 23.5 million.”
The annual cost of energy inputs for the company
totals roughly BRL 750 million. Braskem’s share of
electricity purchased from the power grid is 10%,
and in the second half of 2011, it represented 3.2%
of the cost of goods sold.
Finding better prices, deadlines, contracts, payment
terms and partners is a daily effort, but there
are other fields to be explored. Market regulation is
one of them. With this aim in mind, Braskem forms
part of the Brazilian Association of Large Industrial
Energy Consumers (ABRACE) and keeps a close eye
on discussions of issues such as possible tariff reductions,
one of the factors which most affect the
cost of energy.
Client support
While negotiations on the free market benefit
Braskem, they can also add value to its clients’
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