Fonte: ANEEL

The National Energy Agency (ANEEL) promotes today (04/20), starting at 1:20PM, the energy auction of the hydroelectric plant of Belo Monte (HPP), the largest exclusively Brazilian hydroelectric, with installed capacity of 11,233.1 megawatts (MW). Two consortia participating in the auction, which takes place via computer system through a private network of computers installed at the headquarters of the Agency in Brasilia (DF). After the close of the event, the authorities shall participate in a press conference.

Consortia – Consortium North Energy consists of nine companies: Companhia Hidro Elétrica do São Francisco (CHESF) with 49.98%; Construtora Queiroz Galvao S/A, with 10.02%; Galvão Engenharia S/A, with 3.75%; Trading Mendes Junior Engenharia S/A, 3.75%; Serveng Civilsan – S/ A, 3.75%; J Malucelli Construtora de Obras S/A, with 9.98%; Contern Construções e Comércio Ltda. with 3.75%; Cetenco Engenharia S/A, 5%, and Gaia Energia e Participações, with 10.02%. The Belo Monte Energy consortium has six companies: Andrade Gutierrez Participações S/A, with 12.75%; Vale S/A, with 12.75%; Neoenergia S/A, with 12.75%, Companhia Brasileira de Aluminio, with 12.75%; Furnas S/A, with 24.5% and Eletrosul Centrais Elétricas S/A, with 24.5%.

Auction – The auction will be promoted by ANEEL, with operationalization of the Board of Energy Commercialization (CCEE), as delegated by the Agency. The guidelines approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) are listed in the Order no. 417/2009. The winner of the contest will be the (domestic or foreign) company, FIP (Fund  of Investment Holdings) or Entity for Complementary Pension Funds, or any consortium that brings together these types of participants, who offers the lowest bid, in dollars per Megawatt-hour (MWh) of energy. The top price set by the Ministry of Mines and Energy is R$ 83 per MWh.
Auction Infrastructure – ANEEL set up a special infrastructure with classrooms to be used in confinement by competitors, aiming to provide information security at the event. The auction will be conducted through an electronic system for private network of computers installed at the headquarters of the Agency.

Characteristics of Belo Monte HPP – UPP Belo Monte will be installed on the Xingu river, in Vitória do Xingu, in Pará.  The minimum installed capacity is 11,233.1 MW, the world’s third largest, after the Três Gargantas power plant, Yangtze River in China, with 22,500 MW, and the binational Itaipu, located in the Paraná River on the border between Brazil and Paraguay, with the capacity to generate 14,000 MW. Belo Monte HPP will be the largest exclusively Brazilian plant. Belo Monte is guaranteed physically with 4,571 MW (MWmed), which corresponds to the maximum amount of energy and power that could be used for proof of service loading or marketing contracts. The main power house (Sítio Belo Monte) has minimum installed capacity of 11,000 MW and physical security of 4,418.9 MWmed. The secondary powerhouse (Sítio Pimental) will have a capacity of 233.1 MW, with guaranteed physical MWmed 152.1. The reservoir area is 516 square kilometers (km2). Belo Monte HPP will work ‘a trickle’, i.e. no reservoir accumulation. Two types of hydraulic turbines shall be used. Francis turbines will be in the main powerhouse, because they are suitable for slopes between 40 and 400 meters and the observed decrease in spot is 90 meters. The generating unit of the powerhouse supplement, with a drop of 11.5 meters, will Bulb turbines, suitable for smaller drops.

Network Basic Interconnection (SIN) – the main powerhouse will be connected to the National Interconnected System (SIN) at the Xingu Collecting Substation (PA) through five transmission lines of 500 kilovolts (kV), single circuit, with extension of 17 km. The secondary powerhouse will connect the Altamira Collecting Substation, with a transmission line at 230 kV single circuit, with a length of 61 km.

Start of operations – The deadline for the start of the first generation unit, the secondary powerhouse, is February 2015. The deadline for entry into operation of the last machine in the main powerhouse is January 2019.

Upcoming scheduled events
05/10 – Deadline for submission of documentation for qualification
05/24 – Results of the trial of the qualification
07/01 – Notice of award and approval of the auction
09/23 – Estimated date for granting of concession
09/30 – Estimated date for signature of the concession contract
10/28 – Estimated date for signing of the Energy Trading in the Regulated Environment
For more information, check the glossary and visit Belo Monte HPP hotsite.