In the midst of the water crisis, the CMSE, created by the MME, authorizes the import of electricity from other countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, to supply the most affected regions, such as the Southeast and Midwest

The Electrical Sector Monitoring Committee (CMSE), created by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) in order to generate solutions to solve the water crisis, authorized the import of energy from Uruguay and Argentina. To avoid rationing and even possible blackouts due to the low level of reservoirs in Brazil, in addition to importing energy from other countries, the supply of thermoelectric plants should increase. The decision was studied at a meeting of the CMSE, this Friday (6), and confirmed by the authority.

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MME suggests that energy be redistributed

The CMSE, created by the MME, in addition to wanting to import from Argentina and Uruguay, also suggested the redistribution of energy in Brazil. The resource must be diverted from regions that are “left over” to others that are in overload.

The National Electric System Operator (ONS) warned about the low level of reservoirs, mainly in the Southeast and Midwest regions. In these regions, reservoirs may reach 21% by the end of this month. If this prediction is correct, it will be the lowest level in history starting in 2000.

Even with the alert of the water crisis and the increase in prices, electricity consumption continued to grow, reaching the mark of 6,9% from January to May 2021 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the monthly bulletin of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, published last Monday (2).

Brazil breaks record in energy purchases from Argentina and Uruguay

On July 10, Brazil imported electricity from Uruguay and Argentina considered to be a record. In total, a total of 2.750 MW were purchased, with only 550 MW from Uruguay and 2.200 MW from Argentina. At the time, imports were focused on the South region.

The amount of energy purchased is enough to supply 5,6 million homes in the Southeastern region per month and imports, which began on the 3rd, continued until the 16th, when the need for other purchases was reassessed.

Currently, the country is experiencing the biggest water crisis in 91 years and the MME monitors the situation through the CMSE. Minister Bento Albuquerque stated that the country is not yet at risk of energy rationing and, to avoid a possible aggravation, the government activated diesel thermoelectric plants, with an even higher production cost and even more polluting. As a consequence, Aneel kept the red flag for the month of August, being the most expensive in the system.

With the water crisis, demand for renewable sources increases

On the 28th of June, the ONS reported that wind and solar power generation reached a record in the Northeast region of the country and, given the scenario of water crisis that has been bringing several losses to both consumers and the government, energy generated from sustainable sources proved to be a “master solution” to avoid high prices and pollution.

According to the entity, solar energy reached an instantaneous generation of 10.856 MW, enough to feed 96,1% of the subsystem's demand in the Northeast. Wind already reached the mark of 10.612 MW for the region.