Auction: lots that include RN will fetch R$1.9 billion for transmission lines

The first auction for infrastructure works for electrical energy transmission, which will take place this Thursday (28), at the headquarters of the Stock Exchange (B3), in São Paulo, includes Rio Grande do Norte with two lots totaling one investment of R$1.97 billion. In this auction, RN was included in Blocks 03 and 04 along with the states of Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco and Alagoas. Among the planned projects involving the State, the 500kV transmission line stands out, between Ceará-Mirim and João Pessoa (PB), with 198 kilometers. In total, the auction opens 15 lots in 14 Brazilian states. The forecast is that around R$18.2 billion will be invested, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel).

The public session is scheduled for 10 am, at B3. Market experts estimate that the event should have fierce competition and the participation of large companies in the sector. The main expectation is for bids from Eletrobras, which confirmed interest in lots on offer.

Most of the projects aim to expand the basic network in the Northeast to enable the full flow of plants already contracted in the region and face the expectation of contracting high amounts of energy from new renewable production projects, with emphasis on wind and solar.

The investment in new lines will be paid for by all energy consumers – even those who do not benefit from these new structures – through an increase in electricity bills. The winning companies will have up to 72 months to get the projects off the ground and will win a 30-year concession to operate the structures, being remunerated through energy tariffs.

The notice establishes that the maximum RAP (Allowed Annual Revenue) for the winners of the auction will be R$2.98 billion, including all projects. This value should fall, since the criterion for defining the winners is the discount. This means that the company that offers the biggest discount on the maximum RAP defined for each contract will win.

In addition to Rio Grande do Norte, the projects cover 13 states. They are: Ceará, Piauí, Tocantins, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Maranhão. According to the rules of the notice, lot 12 will only be auctioned if the 1st is sold. Likewise, sets 14 and 15 depend on the bidding for lot 6. Aneel’s expectation is that 34,900 direct and indirect jobs will be created with the execution of the projects.

In an interview in the middle of this month, with TRIBUNA DO NORTE, the energy development coordinator of the State Secretariat for Economic Development (Sedec), Hugo Fonseca, stated that the projects to be contracted are scheduled to come into operation in 2029. “The four major works in the State, in blocks 3 and 4, will guarantee the connection of new energy generation projects in the State into the National Interconnected System (SIN)”, he highlighted.

This year’s auction provides for the construction, operation and maintenance of 6,464 kilometers of transmission lines and 9,200 MVA of transformation capacity across the country. The project delivery period ranges from 36 to 72 months and the concession period is 30 years.

WORKS IN RN
The state was included in Blocks 03 and 04 along with the states of Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco and Alagoas:

• 500kV Transmission Line Ceará Mirim II – João Pessoa II C1, CS, with 198km
• Sections of 500kV Transmission Line between the Morada Nova Substation and the sectioning of the LT 500kV Açu III – Quixadá C1, with 0.4km each
• Sections of 230kV Transmission Line between the Alex Substation and the sectioning of the LT 230kV Banabuiú – Mossoró II C1, with 2 x 2.8km
• Sections of 230kV Transmission Line between the Pilões III Substation and the sectioning of the 230kV LT Extremoz II – Campina Grande III C2, with 2 x 20km