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Judgment This Tuesday Rekindled the Regulatory Dispute and the Expectation of Billion-Dollar Investments, Jobs, and Natural Gas in Southern RS with the Resumption of the Rio Grande Thermal Power Plant
The resumption of the Rio Grande Thermal Power Plant (UTE) project gained new momentum on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, after a decision by the 3rd Panel of the TRF4 in Porto Alegre. The court denied a motion filed by the National Electric Energy Agency, Aneel, related to the return of the grant for the project.
According to the newspaper A Hora do Sul, the reporting judge, federal judge Roger Raupp Rios, declared the motion invalid and determined that the agency reanalyze the reconsideration request presented by Bolognesi Energia and Grupo Cobra. The decision does not conclude the case but increases the pressure for the issue to move forward administratively.
Municipal authorities and business leaders treated the outcome as a “turning point” to unlock a project considered strategic for the Southern region of the State. The City Hall of Rio Grande affirmed that it will continue monitoring the next steps and argued that the initiative can improve conditions for investors and local infrastructure.
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TRF4 Decision Reopens Path for the Grant of UTE Rio Grande
The core of the dispute is the validity and return of the grant, as well as the request for the transfer of the project to the Spanish group Cobra, which intends to structure the undertaking. According to the City Hall of Rio Grande, the TRF4 decision established that Aneel must analyze the possibility of transferring the grant to Grupo Cobra.
Despite the progress, local leaders emphasize that the judgment does not equate to an automatic work authorization. In assessments published before the judgment, business representatives recalled that there may still be appeals in higher courts, which keeps the issue on the political and legal radar.
According to actors who followed the session, the outcome serves as a signal to reopen regulatory discussions and prevent the investment from “falling into oblivion.” A Hora do Sul noted the interpretation that the project remains alive but will depend on administrative decisions and Aneel’s positioning.
What Changes for Aneel Bolognesi and Grupo Cobra
The case involves, in practice, the obligation for the agency to review the history and requests linked to the grant. According to A Hora do Sul, the decision mandated the reanalysis of the reconsideration request filed by Bolognesi and Grupo Cobra.
The City Hall of Rio Grande also emphasized that there are “limits” and stages to be adjusted but classified the judgment as a relevant step to put the project back in a position to advance. The municipal administration reported that it participated in monitoring the session and maintained the promise of vigilance over the process.
R$ 6 Billion Project Plans Gas Power Plant, LNG Terminal, and Pier in the Port of Rio Grande
The thermal power plant, described as one of the major private investments considered for the region, is estimated at R$ 6 billion and includes three main fronts. According to various local reports, the package includes a thermal power plant powered by natural gas, an LNG regasification terminal, and a pier for docking ships at the Port of Rio Grande.
In a previous report on the topic, A Hora do Sul listed indicators of the project that help gauge its scale. Among the cited figures are installed capacity of about 1,280 MW and potential demand of up to 5.5 million cubic meters per day of natural gas, with a combined cycle and estimated efficiency of 56%.
The same report also pointed to expected economic impacts during the construction phase, mentioning more than three thousand direct jobs and about a thousand indirect jobs, in addition to a projected tax revenue of R$ 400 million. These figures are often used by project advocates as arguments to expedite licenses and regulatory decisions.
The history of the impasse helps explain the cautious euphoria of local leaders. A Hora do Sul recalled that the power plant was the winner of an auction in 2014, with an original supply start date in 2019, but the grant was terminated in 2017 after delays in the schedule.
According to the newspaper, after filings and administrative back-and-forth, Bolognesi obtained a lower court decision in 2024 returning the grant and determining that Aneel evaluate the transfer proposal to Grupo Cobra. The dispute now enters a new stage with the effect of the judgment this Tuesday in Porto Alegre.
Job Promises and the Dispute Over Energy Transition in Rio Grande do Sul
The narrative of “strategic project” frequently appears among authorities and businesspeople, both for energy security and for the potential to attract industries dependent on gas and competitive energy. In local reports, members of business entities pointed out that the lack of natural gas in the southern half of RS is seen as an obstacle to new ventures.
In the Grupo Oceano, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Rio Grande, Rafael Ferreira, stated that the decision brings hope and can help raise awareness among Aneel’s technical staff about the need to resume the grant and transfer the project to Grupo Cobra. The same coverage noted that implementation is presented as a condition to enable more complex and energy-intensive industrial projects.
At the same time, the topic often divides opinions when it enters the debate on energy transition and electrical matrix. Supporters argue that natural gas serves as “transitional energy” and can reduce costs and emissions compared to more carbon-intensive sources, while critics tend to question fossil dependency and the environmental and port impacts associated with the terminal and ship traffic.
The dispute is far from over, and that is precisely what keeps the issue hot. Do you consider that a gas thermal power plant is a pragmatic step for regional development or a setback in the energy transition? Leave your comment and tell which side has the stronger argument.
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