Nine Major Hydroelectric Projects in Brazil Likely to Release Construction Tenders Before Year's End

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--During a conference on wind energy held earlier this month in Brazil, the president of Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, a Brazilian federal technical research bureau for the Power Industry, stated that construction tenders for nine major hydroelectric plants in northern Brazil would likely happen before the end of the year.

The projects are located along the Teles Pires and the Parnaíba rivers, representing a combined capacity of 430 megawatts (MW) and 3,732 MW, respectively.

With the exception of the Colíder power plant (342 MW), which opens tenders on July 30, five other projects on the Teles Pires will be included in an auction likely to occur next December. These five hydroelectric power plants are Teles Pires (1,820 MW), São Manoel (746 MW), Sinop (461 MW), and Foz do Apiacás (275 MW). On the Parnaíba River, the Ribeiro Gonçalves (113 MW), Uruçuí (134 MW), Cachoeira (63 MW), Estreito do Parnaíba (56 MW), and Castelhano (64 MW) hydropower plants will also be part of the auction.

All of the projects' officials applied to the corresponding environmental authority earlier this year to obtain their preliminary licenses. This was done with the submission of the environmental impact assessment studies and corresponding reports. Being granted the preliminary license, during which process public hearings are usually conducted, is a necessary condition for the construction tender to take place. Licenses are expected to be obtained in the second half of 2010.

These generation projects on the Teles Pires and the Parnaíba rivers have an estimated construction time of four to five years. The plants are expected to start commercial operation in 2015.

With regard to the energy auctions that are already confirmed by the government to take place this year, the Alternative Sources Auction and the Reserve Auction have been rescheduled to begin August 25. While the former will be completed in one day, the latter will probably take two days. The date for holding the A-5 Hydro Auction is July 30. For additional information about the three energy auctions, see June 30, 2010, article - Three Energy Auctions in Brazil to Secure Growth in Power Generation for Next Five Years.

Industrial Info's Latin America Power Generating Industry Wall Map - 1st Edition provides detailed information about 513 projects totaling $230 billion in power generation projects in Latin America being developed by utilities and municipalities, as well as an additional 7,500 megawatts being developed by independent energy producers at industrial plants in the region.

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