Cruzeiro do Sul Energy Starts Commercial Operations of Maua Hydro Plant in Brazil

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Latin America (Cordoba, Argentina)--On November 23, the energy consortium Consorcio Cruzeiro do Sul, owned by Companhia Paranaense de Energia (NYSE:ELP) (Copel) (51%) (Curitiba, Brazil) and Eletrosul Centrais Eletricas S.A. (49%) (Florianopolis, Brazil), a subsidiary of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA, (NYSE:EBR) (Eletrobras) (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), started commercial operations of the first unit at the Maua hydroelectric power plant, which has a total generating capacity of 361 megawatts (MW), in the state of Parana.

The construction of Maua began in August 2008 and involved an investment of approximately $1.4 billion. The facility, located in the municipality of Telemaco Borba, will be equipped with five hydraulic turbines provided by the Austrian Andritz Hydro (Graz, Austria), three units of 117.36 MW of installed capacity, and two units of 5.5 MW. The first unit began commercial operations in the last week of November. The remaining units are already under commissioning, and they are expected to be operational in January 2013.

Also under construction is the Passo São João hydropower station, which has 77.1 MW of installed capacity, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Eletrosul also has hydropower plants under construction, such as the 48-MW Santo Domingo plant in the state of Santa Catarina.

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