Brazil records best hydroelectric reservoir levels in the last 20 years

The expectation is to reach the fourth best storage in history at the end of December for the SIN, points out CMSE
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07-07-23-canal-solar-Brasil registra melhores níveis dos reservatórios das hidrelétricas dos últimos 20 anos
Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, installed on the Xingu River, in Pará. Photo: Norte Energia/Reproduction

Data ONS (National Electric System Operator) showed that the month of June 2023 ended with better hydroelectric reservoir levels of the last 20 years.

Reservoir storage in the YES (National Interconnected System) were equivalent to 86%, 88%, 85% and 98% in the Southeast/Central-West, South, Northeast and North subsystems, respectively.

The information was released during the CMSE monthly meeting (Electricity Sector Monitoring Committee), held this Wednesday (05), at the headquarters of MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy), in Brasília (DF).

Studies presented by the ONS also show the expectation of reaching, in the most conservative scenario, the fourth best storage in history at the end of December for the SIN, standing between 59.7% and 76.8%.

Expansion of energy generation and transmission

Still at the meeting, they evaluated the expansion of generation and transmission of electrical energy in the first half of 2023. During this period, the increase in the generating complex by centralized enterprises was approximately 5,175 MW, in terms of installed capacity, and 6,080 MW in terms of distributed generation.

There was also the addition of more than 4 thousand km of transmission lines and 11,792 MVA of transformation capacity installed in several Brazilian states.

The ONS also reported the record wind generation seen in the Northeast subsystem, on June 22, reaching an average daily value of 14,813 MWmed, which is equivalent to 125.3% of the region's load on the day, guaranteeing a large export of surpluses of this resource to the Southeast, Central-West and South regions.

Regarding the export of surplus electrical energy to neighboring countries, in the context of reduced rainfall and spills in hydroelectric plants, the Operator highlighted that, in June, there was the export, to Argentina, of 276 MWmed of hydroelectric origin and 786 MWmed of thermoelectric origin.

For Uruguay, exports were 56 MWmed of hydroelectric origin and 300 MWmed of thermoelectric origin. This export of energy surpluses from Brazil, according to the MME, brings relevant benefits to consumers and agents in the sector.

Reunião do CMSE realizada na sede do Ministério de Minas e Energia. Foto: Tauan Alencar/MME
CMSE meeting held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Photo: Tauan Alencar/MME

Transmission Auction Result

Another highlight was ANEEL's presentation of the results of Transmission Auction No. 1/2023, held on June 30, 2023, being the largest auction for transmission projects ever held.

Nine lots were sold, with 50.97% of average discount on the annual revenues expected for the winning agents, which foresee the construction, operation and maintenance of 6,184 km of transmission lines and substations with a total transformation capacity of 400 MVA.

The new facilities will reinforce the transmission network in the Northeast region and the north of the Southeast region, in order to expand the transport of energy from renewable generation projects. R$ 15.7 billion in investments are expected and the generation of 60 thousand direct and indirect jobs.

Finally, among other matters, the approval by CMSE of improvements relating to the representation of the expansion of installed electricity generation capacity in the PMO (Monthly Operation Program) stands out.

“The decision reflects the work carried out by ANEEL in recent years, which included extensive discussion with agents and society as a whole, as well as the assessments carried out by the Committee’s sectoral institutions throughout the first half of 2023”, said the MME .

In this way, as deliberated, the implementation was approved, starting from the PMO of January 2024, of the methodological proposal contained in Technical Note No. 227/2022-SFG-SRG/ANEEL, with the changes indicated below, for the representation of ACL plants in the block of offers considered in the PMO:

  • Consider all ACL plants that are under construction, according to the criteria already in force;
  • Consider, for ACL plants that are not under construction, those that have signed long-term energy purchase and sale contracts and network use contracts;
  • Consider the criteria defined in items i and ii in the “Shadow” PMO for the period from August to December 2023.

The expectation, according to the MME, is that such changes will contribute to a better representation of the generation supply in computational models, strengthening the processes associated with planning and programming the operation and price formation in the Brazilian electricity sector.

Picture of Mateus Badra
Matthew Badra
Journalist graduated from PUC-Campinas. He worked as a producer, reporter and presenter on TV Bandeirantes and Metro Jornal. Has been following the Brazilian electricity sector since 2020.

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