393 MW solar plant in Piauí will generate more than 1,200 jobs

The municipality of Ribeiro Gonçalves, located in the state of Piauí, is implementing a photovoltaic solar plant in 393 MW. In total, the plant will generate more than 1,200 positions in work.

Representatives of Cobra Brasil Group, the Spanish company responsible for the project, presented to the Governor Rafael Fonteles, last Thursday (05), the progress of the services, which currently has 100 people from the region working at the construction site.

According to Fonteles, the system, when operational, will generate more energy than the Boa Esperança dam. “Soon, I will visit the works of this project that is under construction. The 393 MW park is larger than the Boa Esperança plant, which was an energy revolution for the state of Piauí in the 70s”, he pointed out.

José Carlos Hernandez, operations director of the Cobra Brasil group, detailed that the first work has already begun at the construction site. The solar park’s activities are expected to begin in November 2024.

“We came to present to the governor the progress of works in Ribeiro Gonçalves. It has been in development for three years. We already have more than 100 people mobilized, machinery and we started, in August, the environmental suppression works, which are necessary to meet the objective of delivering energy at the end of next year”, he said.

“Later, we will begin earthmoving and assembling the structure and, if everything goes well, by November of next year, we will be up and running”, highlighted the executive.

Piauí’s potential in renewables

The governor also reinforced Piauí's potential in generating renewable energy, especially solar. “They are Spanish investors who also discovered the state’s potential in photovoltaic energy generation. Therefore, we have always believed that Piauí will increasingly be a leader in the production of renewables.”

Jaime Llopis, CEO of Cobra Brasil, defended the importance of working in a state like Piauí, as well as the opportunities and returns that the plant will bring to the population.

“We are reinforcing our commitment to the state, in this area of renewable generation, which is so important. Generating energy is not just generating electricity, it is generating prosperity, education, health, there are many things that come out of those panels”, he concluded.

In addition to Ribeiro Gonçalves, the Cobra Brasil group has solar energy projects in the municipality of Cristino Castro. In total, the company's works represent an investment of R$ 4 billion in Piauí.