The National Agency of Electric Energy of Brazil (ANEEL) has authorised the 18th and last turbine of the Belo Monte hydropower project on the Xingu River in Pará (northern Brazil) to start operations. Commissioning the last turbine will allow the project's developer Norte Energia to operate at its full capacity of 11,233 MW.
The Belo Monte project concession was auctioned by ANEEL in 2010 and awarded by the Norte Energia consortium, consisting of Eletrobras (49.98%, of which 15% directly, 15% through Chesf and 19.98% through Eletronorte), Neoenergia (10%), Petros (10%), Funcef (10%), autoproducers (9% Vale and Cemig, 1% Sinobras) and Amazônia Energia (Light and Cemig, 9.77%). The 35-year concession agreement was signed in August 2010. The project was originally scheduled to start commercial operations in February 2015 but Norte Energia had to deal with worksite occupations and approval cancellations. The controversial project is expected to generate enough power to supply around 60 million people across the country.
Interested in Power Plants?
Enerdata has developed a market research service to screen, monitor and analyse the development of power generation assets.
Power Plant Tracker offers an interactive database and a powerful search engine covering power plants worldwide – including both installed and planned capacities for renewables and fossil fuels.