With the rapid advancement of renewable energy sources in Brazil, the limitations of the electrical infrastructure have become central to the sectoral debate.
Transmission bottlenecks, increased curtailment, extreme weather events, and regulatory uncertainties are putting pressure on a sector that has gone from being merely a "means" to becoming a strategic component of the energy transition.
To understand how broadcasting can respond to this new scenario — and what technical, regulatory, and institutional adjustments are urgently needed — the Canal Solar interviewed Juan Collado, country manager of Redinter in Brazil.
In the conversation, the executive analyzes the operational challenges of the system, assesses the impacts of the new electricity legislation, discusses the role of storage as a transmission asset, and points out the opportunities that are emerging for the sector from 2026 onwards.
How can the transmission sector contribute to reducing system constraints and bottlenecks in a scenario of strong growth in renewable energy?
There is no energy transition without a robust and resilient transmission network. The safe expansion of renewable sources requires an integrated vision of the electrical system, with reinforced network stability and the incorporation of flexible solutions, such as synchronous compensators, STATCOM, and storage, capable of handling generation intermittency.
The transmission segment is the naturally suited player for deploying storage systems. They require almost no regulatory improvements, can be installed quickly, and offer multiple solutions to network problems.
In this sense, the Government needs to broaden its perspective beyond what is being proposed in the Reserved Capacity Auction (LRCAP). Transmission not only connects renewable energy generation, but also ensures reliability and stability to the system.
What are the main challenges to operating and expanding transmission lines in Brazil today?
Climate change is already a concrete operational challenge for transmission. It is worth highlighting the increased density and intensity of lightning strikes, the increased speed and intensity of winds (in some critical regions of Latin America, especially Brazil), as well as torrential and concentrated rainfall.
Climate change imposes a new layer of uncertainty on Brazil's energy planning.
Investments in technologies, asset sensing, forecasting, and weather studies have yielded significant results; however, these are costly solutions that still lack a regulatory framework focused on incentives that recognizes the investment made.
In short, operating transmission assets in this scenario has a cost that needs to be discussed transparently.
Furthermore, evaluating network performance, along with timely expansion, is necessary to ensure satisfactory integration between generation centers and high-load centers.
Today, it is common to have equipment operating under stress, which increases the time and frequency of maintenance shutdowns. Longer and more frequent shutdowns can negatively contribute to increased curtailment. In this sense, it is important to deepen our understanding of how these machines operate.
In terms of expansion, we understand that it is quite challenging to reconcile the deployment time of generation and load projects – such as data centers – with the deployment time of transmission assets.
The new methodology of the “Access Seasons” introduced by Decree No. 12.722/25, on the one hand, establishes a competitive procedure for the (scarce) access currently available, and on the other hand, can offer relevant inputs for EPE to plan future expansions.
Finally, the environmental licensing of transmission lines and the time currently spent by environmental agencies on this process may prove incompatible with meeting the demand and growth rate of the grid.
Redinter addresses these challenges with optimized engineering, modern infrastructure, and robust processes. Our commitment is to ensure the continuity of electricity supply and contribute to the country's economic and social development through safe and sustainable operations, aligned with the energy transition.
How has the company been preparing for issues such as climate change, extreme events, and network resilience?
Network resilience begins with data, technology, and anticipation. In Brazil, Redinter operates through Argo Energia, a transmission company holding 9 concessions spread across 10 states in the Northeast and North regions – plus its administrative headquarters and System Operation Center, located in São Paulo – operating and maintaining 34 substations and over 4.200 kilometers of lines.
To address current climate challenges, Argo Energia has been preparing primarily in two ways: firstly, by studying how the effects of time impact the health of transmission assets, reducing their lifespan and performance. We can cite regions with high levels of environmental pollution, which also generate high corrosiveness in the assets.
Preparing for extreme events is now a strategic decision, not just a technical one. Through Argo, we invest heavily in projects and technology development, such as the use of artificial intelligence, the creation of digital twins, and the development of systems to perform predictive analytics.
Furthermore, it has been investing in monitoring systems and impact studies of climate effects on its assets, such as the acquisition of weather stations, allowing for a broader view of the climatic context where the transmission assets are installed.
Redinter, as a company committed to a clean and secure energy future, operates with a clear focus on availability, efficiency, and digitalization, adopting cutting-edge technologies and a culture of continuous improvement to ensure reliability even in adverse climate scenarios, supporting national carbon neutrality goals.
How does Redinter assess the competitive environment of the upcoming transmission auctions?
Our assessment is that the transmission auction model currently underway in Brazil is clearly a winning one, as it has, over the years, allowed consumers to receive the expansion contracted by the [telecommunications company/operators]. ANEEL with costs defined in competitive processes.
A ANEELOver the years, the organization has also played its part by continuously seeking to improve the rules of the bidding process, which has led to a natural filtering out of opportunists. There are still cases of projects that never get off the ground and result in the expiration of concessions; however, what can be observed, when viewed in perspective, is a long-term process marked by maturation.
Recent challenges faced in Brazil – the accelerated expansion of renewable energy projects, the data center boom, the need to implement more synchronous compensators, the need for timely environmental licensing, and discussions regarding the extension or re-bidding of expiring concessions – tend to demand very thorough analyses and studies from stakeholders before deciding whether or not to participate in auctions. For the upcoming auctions, we expect competitive bidding processes.
How does Redinter evaluate the main points of the electricity bill?
A Law No. 15.269 / 25 It strengthens the predictability of the system and discipline in the sector's expansion, bringing a series of changes to key areas of the Brazilian electricity sector, such as market opening and the creation of a ceiling for the CDE (Energy Development Fund). Also relevant is the greater rigor imposed by the Law regarding the grounds for compensation for generation cuts.
There will be no reimbursement when there is a risk to the electrical reliability of the operation, whenever the generator access documents indicate the possibility of restrictions, and in case of operation that does not comply with the minimum technical requirements for connection to the SIN Basic Network.
The law paves the way for the implementation of storage systems as transmission assets, giving authority to... ANEEL and allowing storage projects to be included in REIDI, which would be a great benefit to the sector as a whole, given the maturity of the transmission segment from the point of view of licensing, financing, operation, etc.
Are there any points that could create legal uncertainty or affect predictability?
The Provisional Measure, now law, still lacks some sub-legal regulations. From a transmission perspective, it is important that stand-alone energy storage technologies can also be contracted by transmission companies, expanding on the proposal brought by the Ministry of Mines and Energy in the last public consultation on the LRCAP for batteries. Regulation will be crucial in transforming the new legal framework into concrete opportunities.
What regulatory changes would be most urgent to ensure operational and financial security?
From an operational standpoint, there is an urgent need for normative and regulatory progress regarding tariff recognition for investments made to mitigate the effects of climate change.
From an operational perspective, the franchise periods for the maintenance of certain equipment, such as synchronous compensators, should be revisited.
From a financial perspective, it is absolutely essential that the regulation governing the re-bidding of transmission concessions recognizes... ANEEL that there will be compensation for unamortized assets at the end of the concessions that signed contracts up to 2019.
Any interpretation that diverges from this scenario generates legal uncertainty – considering the provisions of the concession contract – and regulatory instability – since the asset was structured following the provisions of the Asset Control Manual – in addition to sending an extremely worrying message to the market.
Does Redinter foresee risks of delays or increased costs due to the Provisional Measure?
Our understanding is that Law No. 15.269/25 inaugurates a second "day of forgiveness," as it allows power plants that do not yet have CUST (Cost of Use and Distribution) to request the revocation of their concessions. ANEELwithout penalties, provided they do so by December 24th of this year. This measure is intended to make the expansion of supply more aligned with the current market and demand realities.
Furthermore, with the possibility of "spontaneous" revocation without penalties, it is expected that further litigation by generation agents will be avoided, as they choose to resort to the courts to avoid paying the monthly and termination charges due.
What opportunities does Redinter identify in Brazil for 2026 onwards?
Without a doubt, transmission auctions will still be the main driver for transmission expansion next year. However, participation in these auctions involves a number of issues, such as alignment and synergy with current assets under management, expected efficiency, and the company's objectives. Therefore, decisions about whether or not to participate in each auction take into account both technical and strategic aspects.
In any case, the bidding process for synchronous compensators is interesting because it involves projects that basically consist of installing the equipment (without the need for new lines, substations, sectioning, etc.). The possibility of bids in separate lots can guarantee an attractive bidding process. The resumption of some projects that may have been declared expired and re-tendered is also expected.
Finally, the transmission segment is going through a cycle of consolidations (see the acquisition of Equatorial Transmissão's assets by Verene, Mantiqueira by State Grid, EDP's interest in recycling its transmission assets, among other moves), and 2026 should continue to offer opportunities in this regard.
Finally, we expect that in 2026... ANEEL Advance in the allocation of batteries as reinforcements to transmission systems. In the economic sphere, 2026 is the year of preparation for the tax reform that will begin in 2027, which will require internal adjustments in terms of systems and processes.
Are ONS/EPE aligned with the needs of transmission companies? What needs to evolve?
The “gold rush” made it clear that the expansion of supply was not addressing demand. It allowed far more generation to be built and offered to the grid than the demand required. The new “Access Seasons” are an important step in recognizing that access to transmission has become a scarce commodity.
The rules for providing financial guarantees for projects still in the planning stage also offer greater security and predictability. Furthermore, the mismatch between the authorization or network expansion process and the necessary dates indicated by EPE and ONS is a historical pattern.
Truly integrated planning between generation, transmission, and consumption is essential for an efficient and resilient system.
How does Redinter position itself in relation to technological innovation?
We have assembled a portfolio of R&D projects whose main focus is to address the challenges of climate change and grid resilience, as well as to seek technologically optimized solutions for asset operation.
Examples of the first case are the R&D projects Isolators – which developed an intelligent system to identify how dirt accumulates on equipment and thus indicate the ideal time to carry out preventive maintenance – and Environmental Corrosivity – which uses neural networks and artificial intelligence to select corrosion-resistant materials and establish routines for corrective, preventive or predictive maintenance.
Examples of the second case are the R&D project for the substation robot – which uses an autonomous robot equipped with 5G to perform inspections in substations – and the Vivo R&D project – which uses artificial intelligence in the voice commands exchanged between the Operations Center and the National System Operator (ONS).
Finally, the innovation area, through its Ideas Program, has been fostering innovation in Argo Energia's internal processes by implementing automations, creating AI agents, and using Proof of Concepts (POCs) to test solutions.
What can we expect from Redinter in 2026 with its institutional expansion?
The company continues to analyze new opportunities, always motivated by asset synergies and the potential for better shareholder returns within its expectations.
In 2026, we will strengthen our institutional presence by actively participating in technical and regulatory discussions and industry events. We will expand our dialogue with authorities and strategic partners, while driving digitalization, efficiency, and preparation for new investment cycles.
Our purpose remains clear: to transport energy, connect lives, and be the strategic partner that Brazil needs for a clean, secure, and sustainable energy future.
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