Gaucho government resumes discussion on Rio Grande thermal at Aneel

The meeting is scheduled for 12:30 pm, with the general director of the regulatory body, Sandoval Feitosa, and one of the participants will be the mayor of Rio Grande, Fábio Branco. “The time has come for a decision, we are confident that the conditions exist for this project to become viable”, argues Branco. He points out that the thermoelectric plant is extremely important for consolidating the energy security of the State and the Country, as well as for providing opportunities for a new local supply of natural gas. The mayor recalls that the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipeline (Gasbol), which supplies Rio Grande do Sul with this fuel, has its supply capacity practically at its limit.
In turn, the lawyer for Thermoelectric Rio Grande and partner at the STP LAW office, Celso Silva, considers the meeting at Aneel to be very important because it reinforces the search for an administrative solution so that the construction of the plant can go ahead. “And the State of Rio Grande do Sul proves the fight for the project”, he adds. In March, Leite had already participated in a meeting at Aneel, also to discuss the matter.
The issue has been going on for nearly a decade. In 2014, under the leadership of the Bolognesi group, the plant won an energy auction to commercialize its generation and allow its implementation. However, due to delays in the original schedule of works (the prospect was that the thermoelectric operation would take place by January 2019), which experienced difficulties regarding the release of the environmental licensing at the time, the granting of the plant project was revoked by Aneel in 2017.
Currently, the Bolognesi group has an agreement to transfer the rights to the venture to the Spanish company Cobra, however for this measure to be implemented, Aneel’s consent is required and confirmation that the thermal plant will be able to sell its energy production. The unit was planned for an installed capacity of 1,238,000 MW (which corresponds to about one third of the average electricity demand in Rio Grande do Sul).
In addition to the plant, the development in Rio Grande includes the installation of an LNG regasification plant and a pier in the port to receive the vessels that will handle the fuel. This entire complex would mean an investment of more than R$ 6 billion. Last year, the State Foundation for Environmental Protection (Fepam) granted the prior environmental license (LP) of the LNG regasification unit and the installation license (LI) of the thermoelectric plant. In addition to the possibility of an administrative definition within Aneel regarding the future of the plant, the issue is also being discussed in court. There is an expectation of carrying out a conciliation hearing between the parties, but this meeting has not yet been scheduled.