Integration of public indicators for assessing rural energy vulnerability: A study applied to state of Bahia

• Proposes an integrated methodology that combines territorial typology, degree of urbanization, energy supply continuity indicators, and financial compensation to classify municipal energy vulnerability, using exclusively public and regulatory data from national agencies. • Identifies the most vulnerable municipalities in Bahia, highlighting patterns associated with rural areas, low urbanization, recurring regulatory exceedances, and greater susceptibility to prolonged power outages. • Establishes a ranking based on the cumulative value of financial compensation (2020-2024), reflecting the economic impact of poor energy supply quality. • Presents thematic map and comparative analyses, revealing spatial concentrations of vulnerability and possible relationships with social and geographical aspects. • Offers a replicable approach for other states or regions, contributing to planning, investment prioritization, and public policy formulation in the electricity sector. Inequality in the quality of electricity power supply in Brazil is more pronounced in rural and remote areas, where territorial dispersion, low consumer density, and investment constraints increase energy vulnerability. This article proposes a methodology to identify and characterize municipalities most exposed to this condition, integrating regulatory continuity indicators (DEC and FEC), financial compensation values (CFD), and territorial variables, such as typology and degree of urbanization. A quantitative descriptive approach is adopted, based on public data from ANEEL and IBGE for the period from 2020 to 2024. The databases were processed to derive indicators, including regulatory surpluses, incidence by territorial typology, and temporal trends, in addition to the preparation of thematic map for comparative spatial analysis. The methodology proved effective in revealing regional patterns of energy vulnerability and, due to its simplicity and replicability, can be applied to other geographical contexts. The results indicate that rural municipalities had higher medians of DEC and FEC, concentrated higher values of financial compensation, and exceeded regulatory limits more frequently, indicating the persistence of territorial inequalities and supporting public policies and regulatory actions aimed at equity and service improvement.