Brazil's National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) announced on September 8, 2026 the opening of Public Consultation 033/2026, which revises PRODIST Module 3, the set of procedures governing access to distribution networks. The focus is on Distributed Energy Resources (DERs): distributed solar generation, storage systems, electric vehicles and loads capable of modulating consumption according to grid conditions. Contributions may be submitted from September 10 to November 9, 2026.
From technology-based rules to rules based on grid behavior
The main conceptual change lies in the logic of the requirements. Instead of creating separate requirements for each type of equipment, the proposal looks at how the resource interacts with the grid: whether it injects power, absorbs energy in a controllable way, or does both. A battery, for example, alternates between charging and discharging, and therefore does not fit well into standards designed only for generators or only for consumers.
The text was drafted by the National Electric System Operator (ONS), in coordination with ANEEL and researchers from UFSM, UFU and Unioeste. According to the agency, the goal is to make the grid safer and more efficient in a scenario where energy flow is no longer unidirectional and consumers have also begun to generate and store electricity.
What the proposal requires of connected resources
The draft organizes obligations around three ideas: observability (the distribution utility can see what the resource is doing), operability (there is a communication channel with it) and controllability (its operation can be coordinated when system operation requires). In practice, the key points are:
- monitoring and communication requirements between the resource and the distribution utility;
- ability to respond to commands sent by the utility;
- protection and power quality rules;
- control of the power injected into the grid;
- differentiated requirements according to the size and impact of each installation.
ANEEL stresses that the proposal describes expected functionalities, without specifying brands, equipment or particular technological solutions. This neutral design tends to open room for different control architectures, from residential energy management systems to microgrids.
How to participate in the consultation
Consumers, distribution utilities, manufacturers, universities, experts and other stakeholders may submit suggestions. The contribution period lasts 60 days, from September 10 to November 9, 2026, and submissions are made by email to the address indicated by the agency on the consultation page. Well-substantiated technical contributions usually carry more weight in the final version of rules of this kind, especially when they include field data and application examples.
What changes in practice for the BESS market
For those who develop, integrate or supply battery energy storage systems connected to distribution, the consultation signals that communication and remote control will no longer be differentiators and will become part of the minimum connection package. Some points deserve attention right away:
- Developers: should consider in feasibility studies that the distribution utility may coordinate the asset's operation in certain situations, which affects dispatch and revenue assumptions.
- EPCs and integrators: will need to include telemetry infrastructure, communication protocols and command-response logic in the design, as well as protection and power quality adjustments.
- Inverter and PCS manufacturers: injected power control functions and the interface with the distribution utility are likely to become a requirement rather than an option.
- Energy management system (EMS) suppliers: the functionality-based definition, without imposing equipment, favors interoperable solutions.
Since requirements are expected to vary according to the size and impact of each resource, it is worth closely tracking where the classification thresholds will be set. Until November 9, the storage sector has the opportunity to present to ANEEL its view on costs, compliance deadlines and the technical feasibility of the proposed requirements.
Original source: ANEEL — ANEEL propõe novas regras para preparar a rede elétrica para geração solar, baterias e veículos elétricos