Brazil’s Petrobras has 3.4GW to offer in energy tender

Brazil’s federal oil company Petrobras has nine existing thermoelectric plants with a total 3GW of installed capacity without contracts that are “perfect candidates” to participate in the next backup capacity tender, the company’s energy transition and sustainability director, Maurício Tolmasquim, said in a press conference on Friday. 

“And we're working hard to put in [to the tender] a new 400MW thermal plant to be built at Gaslub,” he said. 

The project in Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro state, will receive natural gas through the Rota 3 pipeline, which is scheduled to begin operations this quarter. 

Tolmasquim said that all the plants are open-cycle aeroderivative thermal facilities, which allow them to ramp up quickly to meet demand. 

“This is essential for the system’s security,” he said. 

The aim of the backup capacity tenders is to guarantee the continuity of electricity supply, allowing consumers to be served at any time, even during critical periods.

It is especially important in a context of increasing intermittent energy sources (solar and wind) in the system and the prospect of more frequent and prolonged droughts. 

This year’s auction was originally scheduled to take place in August, but it will be postponed as the mines and energy ministry MME has not yet published the tender with its rules. 

Besides thermal plants, hydroelectric projects will also be able to participate. 

The government is considering the inclusion of energy storage undertakings, but this is unlikely to happen due to the lack of regulation at present.

Tolmasquim recalled that studies by energy research company EPE indicate that the power to be contracted is needed from 2027 and 2028. 

“We therefore believe that the auction should be held as soon as possible,” he said.