Governor participates in the inauguration of PCH that can serve 25 thousand homes

Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior participated this Thursday (25) in the inauguration of the Small Hydroelectric Power Plant (PCH) Três Capões Novo, on the banks of the Jordão River, in Guarapuava, in the Central-South Region of Paraná. The unit has an installed power of 10 megawatts, enough to serve 25 thousand homes, which is equivalent to a population of 100 thousand people.

With an investment of R$98 million from the Santa Maria group from Paraná – which, in addition to the energy sector, operates in the paper, reforestation and agriculture segments –, PCH Três Capões Novo will generate 150 direct jobs and another 100 indirect jobs. The majority of the investment was financed by the Regional Development Bank of the Far South (BRDE).

Ratinho Junior highlighted that the project helps to consolidate Paraná as one of the main generators of clean energy in the country, with 98% of energy produced from renewable sources in the state. “We are showing first world countries that, in addition to producing food, we also produce energy in a sustainable way, as is the case with this PCH. And this is a calling card for Paraná abroad, in addition to contributing to the development of the State”, he stated.

“To give you an idea, from 2010 to 2019, six PCHs were built in Paraná. In the last five years alone, we have already opened 21 and another nine are under construction, with 30 new plants to produce clean energy and help guarantee the country’s energy security”, highlighted the governor. “In addition, we have around 60 Hydroelectric Generating Plants, which are smaller, in development and construction, almost four times more than in the past. This is the result of the modernization we carried out at the IAT, with the hiring of new professionals to speed up licensing in the State”.

ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES – In November last year, the project received environmental authorization from the Water and Land Institute (IAT) to begin filling the reservoir, which has a total area of ​​16.57 hectares, 4.62 hectares of which are actually flooded. With the filling of the reservoir, Três Capões Novo was ready to start energy production.

Since the beginning of its installation, the PCH on the Jordão River has implemented programs and measures that prevent, reduce and compensate for possible environmental impacts. After the pre-installation and installation phase, the program now enters the project’s operation phase. PCH Três Capões Novo has nine environmental programs, subdivided into nine subprograms and two plans.

The CEO of the Santa Maria Group, Marcelo Vieira, explained that the new plant is contributing to the development of the Center-South region of the State, both in job creation and energy supply. “We have several projects under analysis and, in the coming years, we should have new hydroelectric and solar plants coming into operation”, he highlighted. “The energy produced here enters the national system, through Copel, and will serve homes, industries, in short, all segments”.

“We had many difficulties, in the past decades, in releasing projects that we were working on. But after the reduction of bureaucracy in the electricity sector in Paraná promoted by the State Government, it became much more accessible”, highlighted the CEO of Grupo Santa Maria.

As stipulated by Brazilian legislation, to be configured as a PCH, the unit must have an energy generation potential of between 5 and 30 Megawatts. The Hydroelectric Generating Center (CGH) has a maximum capacity of 5 Megawatts. Compared to large hydroelectric plants, PCHs and CGHs do not necessarily require the construction of large infrastructures for energy transmission. In this way, they contribute to the formation of an energy supply network with low environmental impact.

The president of the Board of the Brazilian Association of PCHs and CGHs (Abrapch), Pedro Dias, highlights that Três Capões Novo is yet another licensing carried out within legal and environmental compliance. “It is another PCH that will generate clean and renewable energy with 100% national technology, respecting the environment to always keep our State sustainable”, he stated.

PCHS IN PARANÁ – Operating licenses for energy projects are issued in Paraná by the Water and Land Institute (IAT). The process has intensified since 2019 with a policy based on reducing bureaucracy, but without reducing care for environmental risks.

According to the IAT, Paraná has 38 PCHs in operation and nine under construction. Since 2019, 12 PCHs have been licensed to operate in the State. “Paraná is the state that, proportionally, has the most renewable energy generation, and we are licensing many projects like this. This process has become an environmental management policy to support entrepreneurs, so that they can use the natural heritage of Paraná, to improve quality of life for the people of Paraná”, highlighted the director-president of IAT, Everton Souza.

The 38 PCHs in operation in Paraná produce 525.78 Megawatts, enough energy to together supply the two largest cities in Paraná, outside Curitiba: Londrina and Maringá. The nine PCHs under construction will add another 163.35 Megawatts to the system. This volume is capable of supplying 32,670 homes. Of this total, 79.20 Megawatts should come into operation this year.

The PCHs under construction are: Cobre Km 19, in Rio do Cobre, in the municipality of Marquinho with a capacity of 14.20 Megawatts; São Luís, on the Chopim River, in Cleveland, with 30 Megawatts; Lúcia Cherobim, with a capacity of 28 Megawatts, on the Iguaçu River between the municipalities of Lapa and Porto Amazonas; São João II, with 7 Megawatts, on the São João River, in Prudentópolis; Córrego Fundo, on the Pirapó River, between Colorado, Paranacity and Paranapoema, with a capacity of 10 Megawatts; Beira Rio on the Jaguariaíva River, between the municipalities of Jaguariaíva and Sengés, 18.15 Megawatts; São Jerônimo, of 15.50 Megawatts, on the São Jerônimo River, in Guarapuava; Paredinha, of 21 Megawatts, on the Rio Cachoeira, in Turvo; and Trindade Baixo Jusante, on the Chopim River, also in Clevelândia, with a capacity of 19.50 Megawatts.

ATTENDANCE – BRDE’s Financial Director, Wilson Bley Lipski, participated in the ceremony; state deputies Alexandre Curi, Artagão Júnior and Christina Silvestri; and the mayor of Guarapuava, Celso Góes.