Neoenergia Invested Over R$ 2 Billion in Works in Bahia, Inaugurates Three Projects to Serve the Population, and Benefits Nearly 100,000 People in the West of the State

Inauguration Event Took Place on Tuesday (22) at the Rio do Algodão Substation, One of Neoenergia’s Delivered Projects in Bahia

Neoenergia, through its distributor Neoenergia Coelba (BA), has made a series of investments to reinforce the electrical system in western Bahia. At the end of 2021, the distributor invested approximately R$ 125 million in the construction of three new projects in the region. The official delivery of these works took place this Tuesday (22) during the inauguration event of the newest project that will serve the local population: the Rio do Algodão Substation, located in São Desidério.

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The ceremony was attended by the leadership of Neoenergia Coelba, the mayor of São Desidério, José Carlos de Carvalho, as well as invited authorities. “In 2021, Neoenergia Coelba invested more than R$ 2 billion in works in Bahia. Of this total, approximately R$ 400 million was allocated to the West of the State. The volume of resources applied reinforces the distributor’s commitment to continue investing in improving its operations throughout Bahia,” stated Luiz Antonio Ciarlini, CEO of Neoenergia Coelba.

Neoenergia’s Three New Projects Are of Great Importance to Bahia’s Electrical System

The Rio do Algodão Substation, where the event was held, has an installed capacity of 26.6 MVA, benefiting more than 40 thousand people. Additionally, 32 kilometers of power lines were built, with 60 poles and 88 towers installed. These structures allowed the project to be energized and integrated into the electrical system.

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Prior to the Rio do Algodão, another substation was inaugurated in the region in recent months, the SE Rio Grande III. This project has three feeders, and to make it operational, 12 kilometers of distribution line and 105 poles were implemented. The installed capacity of the unit is also 26.6 MVA and will benefit more than 38 thousand residents in the area.

“Both substations have state-of-the-art technologies to provide reliable energy to the distributor’s customers in the region. In addition to automatic reclosers and protection equipment, the projects can be monitored and controlled directly from our Integrated Operations Center, which is located in Salvador, reducing the time interval for resolving possible occurrences,” explained Ana Paula Nobre, Superintendent of High Voltage Expansion at Neoenergia.

The third project completed by the distributor in the West was the 138 kV Rio Grande II-Rio das Éguas Distribution Line. The new line spans 127 kilometers, passing through the municipalities of São Desidério and Correntina, with over a thousand poles installed.

“The three new projects are of great importance to the electrical system of our region, allowing for an increase in the energy supply. Urban consumers and merchants and agricultural owners in the rural area will have access to even more reliable energy to expand their operations,” analyzed Leonardo Silva, Operations Superintendent of the West.

WEG, One of the Largest Manufacturers of Turbines and Electric Motors in the World, Delivers Giant Transformer of 10.1 Meters in Height and 271.1 Tons to the Neoenergia Oiti Wind Complex in Northeastern Brazil

The works of the Neoenergia Oitis Wind Complex, the largest of the company in Brazil, located between Piauí and Bahia, are progressing rapidly. The first of the three transformers to be installed at the Oitis substation has just been delivered by WEG, one of the largest manufacturers of turbines and electric motors in the world, each unit having a capacity of 230 MVA.

Manufactured by WEG in Betim (MG), the transformer arrived at the site after 45 days of travel, covering 3,297 kilometers. Due to the size of the equipment, which measures about 10.1 meters in height and weighs 271.1 tons (filled with oil), a complex logistical operation was necessary. The other two transformers are scheduled for delivery in December.

Turbines Will Be Assembled and the Construction of the Wind Complex Is Expected to Generate 1,500 Jobs in the Northeast

These devices transform the energy generated by the turbines to levels suitable for the transmission system. In other words, at the Oitis substation, where the transformers will be installed, the voltage of the generated energy is raised to 500 kV so it can follow the transmission line to the Queimada Nova II (PI) substation, the connection point to the National Interconnected System (SIN).

“The Neoenergia Oitis Wind Complex is strategic for Neoenergia, and we are maintaining its construction at an accelerated pace to generate clean energy, contributing to the Brazilian electric sector. In 2021, we will begin assembling the first wind turbines ahead of the schedule outlined in the business plan, and the expectations are that commercial operations will start in the first half of 2022,” says William Carneiro, Renewable Projects Manager at Neoenergia.

Oitis will have 12 parks, with a total installed capacity of 566.5 MW, enough to supply a city of 2.7 million inhabitants. It is a business aligned with Neoenergia’s ESG commitments (Environmental, Social, and Governance). Additionally, 96% of its energy will be sold in the free market, following the company’s positioning in the liberalization of the Brazilian market.

The construction of the wind complex also generates various benefits for the region. The works are expected to generate 1,500 jobs, with nearly 40% of the workforce being local. Among the positive impacts are also free training courses and the donation of food baskets to families in vulnerable situations in the municipalities of Dom Inocêncio and São Raimundo Nonato, in Piauí, and Casa Nova, in Bahia.