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New law could cost billions to the Northeast and jeopardize the future of renewable energy in Brazil. With job losses and revenue losses, Ceará and Maranhão face a blow to the energy transition.
An unexpected turn of events threatens to shake the foundations of energy sector in Brazil, especially in the Northeast, a region that is emerging as one of the biggest protagonists of the energy transition in the country.
With the recent approval of a controversial bill, the sustainability and economic future of states such as Ceará and Maranhão are at risk.
In addition to compromising job creation and revenue, the measure raises serious questions about government priorities for the energy sector and regional inequalities.
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How does the law impact the Northeast?
Bill 576/21, known as the legal framework for offshore wind power, contains a provision that exclusively favors thermoelectric plants powered by domestic coal, concentrated mainly in the South of the country.
Although the original text determined 2027 as the final deadline for the operation of these plants, the new measure extends this deadline only for those that use national coal.
According to the newspaper The people, Carlos Baldi, president of Energia Pecém, states that this decision creates a disastrous scenario for the Northeast.
In Ceará, the Pecém 1 plant, which operates with imported coal, does not qualify for the benefits provided for by the PL.
This directly threatens 1,8 jobs and could cause an annual loss of R$200 million in revenue.
In Maranhão, where Energia Pecém also controls the Itaqui thermal plant, the estimated losses amount to R$160 million per year and the elimination of more than 650 jobs.
“This device discriminates against the Northeast in a clear and unfair way,” stated Baldi, highlighting the need for equality between projects from different regions of the country.
Billions in economic losses at stake
The exclusion of northeastern states from the benefit brought by the law threatens not only jobs and immediate revenue, but also the future of the energy sustainable in the region.
According to calculations by Energia Pecém, in 15 years, the negative impact on public coffers could exceed R$3 billion in Ceará alone.
These figures include the loss of taxes that would no longer be collected by the Union, states and municipalities, in addition to a significant reduction in income generation for thousands of families.
“Without changes to the text, the impact on revenue will total more than R$5 billion, harming the economic and social development of the Northeast,” reinforced Baldi.
Challenges in the energy transition
Despite the challenges imposed by the new PL, Pecém 1 is already working on decarbonizing its operations.
Powered by coal since its foundation, the thermal plant recently signed a contract with the Ceará Gas Company to convert coal input into natural gas, a less polluting alternative.
In addition, the plant housed Brazil's first green hydrogen pilot project, inaugurated in early 2023.
According to experts, these advances place Ceará at the forefront of the energy transition in the country, but the approval of the device could slow down these strategic initiatives.
The exclusion of the Northeast from tax exemptions, in turn, limits the plant's modernization plans and compromises its competitiveness in the national energy market.
Why is domestic coal a problem?
The coal used in the South of Brazil is of inferior quality to imported coal, according to industry analyses.
According to Baldi, the imported coal used by Pecém 1 offers greater calorific value and less environmental impact, in addition to being more economical.
Therefore, the decision to import fuel was a strategic choice to reduce operating costs and increase energy efficiency.
However, with the tax benefit restricted to national coal, northeastern plants become less competitive and may lose market share.
Worrying scenario for green hydrogen
The measure could also compromise the development of the green hydrogen hub at the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex, which has already attracted billion-dollar investments and positions Ceará as a reference in this strategic sector.
The project, which began to be implemented in 2023, represents an opportunity to consolidate Brazil as a leader in sustainable technologies.
However, the lack of adequate incentives threatens to slow the growth of this initiative and, with it, the chance of generating thousands of jobs in the region.
Uncertain future and regional inequality
The approval of PL 576/21 under its current terms not only accentuates regional inequalities, but also calls into question Brazil's commitment to the energy transition.
While the South benefits from exclusive advantages, the Northeast, which already faces historic development challenges, is penalized by a measure that does not consider its specificities and technological advances.
Is Brazil willing to sacrifice the sustainability and future of the Northeast in the name of localized interests?
