Inauguration event took place on Tuesday (22), at the Rio do Algodão Substation, one of the projects delivered by Neoenergia in Bahia

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

Read also

• With 135 active turbines, Chafariz Neoenergia Wind Farm starts operating in the Northeast generating 467,77 MW of energy to supply 1 million people
• Urca Comercializadora acquires 2,3 million tons of carbon from a hydroelectric plant controlled by Neoenergia in favor of UTE Prosperidade III and the unit becomes the first carbon neutral thermoelectric plant in Brazil!
• Neoenergia starts assembling the 103 GE turbines, 125 meters high, the equivalent of a 40-story building, of its largest wind farm in Northeast Brazil
• Construction work on the Neoenergia solar energy complex is in full swing, and the first support pile for more than 233 solar panels has just been installed
• WEG, one of the largest manufacturers of turbines and electric motors in the world, delivers a giant transformer measuring 10,1 meters high and weighing 271,1 tons for the Neoenergia Oiti Wind Complex, in northeastern Brazil

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

Neoenergia's three new projects are of great importance for the electrical system in the State of Bahia

The Rio do Algodão Substation, where the event was held, has an installed capacity of 26,6 MVA, benefiting more than 40 people. Additionally, 32 kilometers of electrical network were built and 60 posts and 88 towers were installed. These structures allowed the development to be energized and integrated into the electrical system.

Before Rio do Algodão, another substation was inaugurated in the region in recent months, SE Rio Grande III. The development has three feeders and, for its operation, 12 kilometers of distribution line and 105 poles were installed. The unit's installed capacity is also 26,6 MVA and will benefit more than 38 residents in the region.

“The two substations have state-of-the-art technologies to reliably supply energy to the distributor's customers in the region. In addition to automatic reclosers and protection equipment, the developments can be monitored and commanded directly from our Integrated Operations Center, which is located in Salvador, reducing the time interval to solve possible occurrences”, explained Ana Paula Nobre, Superintendent of Expansion of Alta Neoenergy Tension.

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 is 127 kilometers long, passing through the municipalities of São Desidério and Correntina, and has more than a thousand poles in place.

“The three new developments are of great importance for the electrical system in our region, enabling an increase in the supply of energy. Consumers and merchants in the urban area and farm owners in the rural area will have even more reliable energy available to expand their operations”, analyzed Leonardo Silva, Superintendent of Operations in the West.

WEG, one of the largest manufacturers of turbines and electric motors in the world, delivers a giant transformer measuring 10,1 meters high and weighing 271,1 tons for the Neoenergia Oiti Wind Complex, in northeastern Brazil

The works of the Neoenergia Oitis Wind Complex, the company's largest in Brazil, located between Piauí and Bahia, are advancing at an accelerated pace. The first of three transformers that will 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 equipment has a capacity of 230 MVA. 

Manufactured by WEG in Betim (MG), the transformer arrived at the project after 45 days of travel, covering 3.297 kilometers. Due to the size of the equipment, which measures around 10,1 meters in height and weighs 271,1 tons (filled with oil), a complex logistical operation was required. The other two transformers will be delivered in December.

Turbines will be assembled and the construction of the wind complex promises to generate 1,5 jobs in the Northeast

It is these equipments that transform the energy generated in the turbines so that they are at adequate levels for the transmission system. That is, at the Oitis substation, where the transformers will be installed, the voltage of the energy produced is raised to 500 kV so that it can follow the transmission line to the Queimada Nova II substation (PI), the connection point to the National Interconnected System (without).

"The Neoenergia Oitis Wind Complex is strategic for Neoenergia and we maintain its construction at an accelerated pace to generate clean energy, contributing to the Brazilian electricity sector. Still in 2021, we will start assembling the first wind turbines, ahead of schedule in the business plan, and the estimate is that commercial operation will begin in the first half of 2022Says William Carneiro, manager of Renewable Projects at Neoenergia.

Oitis will have 12 parks, which will add up to an installed capacity of 566,5 MW, enough to supply a city with 2,7 million inhabitants. It is a business aligned with Neoenergia's ESG (environmental, social and governance) commitments. In addition, 96% of its energy will be traded on the free market, following the company's position on the liberalization of the Brazilian market.

The construction of the wind complex also generates several benefits for the region. The works should generate 1,5 jobs, almost 40% of which will be local labor. Among the positive impacts, there are also free training courses and donation of basic food baskets to vulnerable families in the municipalities of Dom Inocêncio and São Raimundo Nonato, in Piauí, and Casa Nova, in Bahia.