Brazil's Porto Itaqui Power Plant Receives Permits

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Brazilian energy company MPX Energia S.A. (SAO:MPXE3) (Rio de Janeiro) recently announced that the preliminary and environmental permits for Phase I of the Porto Itaqui project at the Itaqui Port in Maranhao State have been granted by the IBAMA, the federal environmental authority. In April, the environmental licensing process had been temporarily suspended.

MPX awarded an engineering, procurement and construction contract to the Mabe Consortium, which comprises Efacec (Sao Mamede de Infesta, Portugal), Alusa, BC Projetos and Maire Engineering (Rome, Italy), a division of Maire Tecnimont (BIT:MT) (Rome). The $1.5 billion project will have a total power capacity of 720 megawatts (MW). The facility will be constructed in two phases, with each phase adding 360 MW. For related information, view February 6, 2008, article - Maire Engineering Awarded Contract to Build Two Coal-Fired Plants in Brazil.

Phase I, which is expected to cost $698 million, is set to become operational in January 2012 and with one 360-MW Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) (Munich, Germany) steam turbine and one Doosan Babcock Energy Limited (Crawley, United Kingdom) boiler. Phase II, which is currently undergoing feasibility studies, will cost $733 million and is expected to start operation in January 2014.

MPX is developing nine power generating projects that are expected to be completed before 2018. All of the projects are located in Brazil except for the 1,400-MW UTE Castilla coal-fired thermal power plant in Chile. The 1,400-MW UTE Porto do Acu coal-fired power plant in Rio de Janeiro is the company's main project and is scheduled to start operation in 2012. The plant will be equipped with two 700-MW steam turbines. MPX recently started the construction of the 720-MW Porto do Pecem coal-fired power plant, which will be equipped with two 360-MW Siemens steam turbines. For related information, view July 8, 2008, news article - EDB and MPX Begin Construction of 720-Megawatt Brazilian Power Plant.

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