EqualOcean has learned that on April 3, 2024, China and Brazil signed a 30-year concession agreement concerning the Brazil Northeast Ultra-High Voltage Direct Current (UHVDC) transmission line project, expected to be operational by 2029.
The milestone project aims to transmit wind, solar, and hydroelectric energy from Brazil's Northeast and Northern regions to the Central region, facilitating Brazil's transition to clean, low-carbon energy.
As the largest infrastructure electricity transmission project in Brazilian history, the project was awarded to State Grid Corporation of China in December last year. Prior to this, State Grid Corporation of China had bid twice for the Belo Monte UHVDC transmission project in Brazil.
The new engineering project spans 1,468 kilometers and involves constructing an 800-kilovolt direct current transmission line to deliver 5 million kilowatts of clean power from Northeast wind and solar farms to key southeastern areas, including the Brasília metropolitan area.
In this context, the new project will meet the electricity demands of over 12 million people while promoting Brazil's green development goals, aiming to ensure the flow of renewable energy generation from the Northeast, where wind and solar power plants are thriving.
The concession agreement signing ceremony took place on April 3 at the Brazilian Presidential Palace in Brasília. Witnessed by China's Ambassador to Brazil, Zhu Qingqiao(祝青桥), Brazil's Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, and the head of Brazil's electricity regulatory agency (ANEEL), Sandoval Feitosa, the contract was signed between the project company under China's State Grid Brazil Holdings(中国国家电网巴西控股公司) and ANEEL.
Over the past decade, State Grid of China has fully utilized its technological, managerial, and brand advantages to support Brazil's electricity infrastructure construction, promote green and sustainable development of Brazil's energy sector, and established four subsidiary companies including State Grid Brazil Holdings and State Grid Brazil Power Company (CPFL). So far, State Grid of China's electricity business in Brazil has benefited 15 states.
Brazil's Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, expressed that this massive project will play a crucial role in improving the security and stability of Brazil's power system, promoting the development of wind and solar energy in Brazil's Northeast, and supporting Brazil's green, low-carbon economic and social development.