They added that the decision urged the ENARGAS national regulator to roll back all hiked rates for natural gas for SMEs to March 31 levels and that they remain “unaltered” until December 27. Soon after being sworn in as energy minister, Aranguren laid the groundwork for massive hikes to energy bills including natural gas and topping 400 percent in some cases. Following the hearings, new rates “averaging 203 percent” increases to natural gas bills were agreed upon and due to come into effect in October. The decision came just weeks after San Martín Federal Judge Martina Isabel Forns blocked all electricity hikes issued by Aranguren and the energy ministry along similar lines to those applying to natural gas. As with the natural gas hearings, the government vowed to hold public consultations over the frozen electricity hikes and these are due in precisely one month’s time, starting on October 28.

Source: Bueno Aires Herald September 28, 2016 03:00 UTC