operator Electropaz for residential, commercial, industrial and mining consumers in the
Department of La Paz. The pattern of behaviour of prices in this department does fit the
expectations regarding subsidization.
Figure 3.9
Electropaz: Tariffs by Consumer Categories
■♦—Residential —■—Commercial
Industrial —X—Mining
Source: Superintendency of Electricity
With the gradual phasing out of subsidies, tariffs in the commercial sector do begin to decrease -
close to 2% between 1999 and 2000 - while those of the residential sector continuously increase
throughout the decade - to around 2% between 1999 and the year 2000.
A similar pattern of behaviour is observed in other departments. Figure 3.10 below shows the
case of Oruro, a department traditionally dependent on its mining and commercial sectors.
Figure 3.10
1 990 1 991 1 992 1 993 1 994 1 995 1 996 1 997 1 998 1 999 2000
♦ Residential —■—Commercial —⅛—Industrial —M—Mining
Source: Superintendency of Electricity
18