Brazil’s energy regulator approves grid-connection of two solar projects totaling 60 MW

Brazil’s energy regulator Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica (Aneel) has approved commercial operations for two PV power projects with a combined capacity of 60 MW, located in the state of Piauí, in northeastern Brazil.

According to a document published in the country’s official journal, the Aneel has given approval for connection to the 30 MW UFV Sertão 1 solar project, which is owned by the special purpose vehicle Sertão I Solar Energia SPE Ltda and to the 30 MW UFV Sobral 1 solar plant, which is owned Sobral I Solar Energia SPE Ltda.

The two facilities are both located in the municipality of João Costa and received preliminary approval by Aneel in March 2016. At the time, the regulator said that construction on the projects was planned to begin in July 2016, with completion scheduled for July of this year. The start of commercial operations was scheduled for the beginning of August for both installations.

These two projects were likely selected in the renewable energy auctions held by the Brazilian energy agency EPE between 2014 and 2015.  In these three auctions, around 3 GW of large-scale PV capacity was allocated. The Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), however, has recently cancelled PPAs for 9 solar projects with a combined capacity of 249.7 MW, which were selected in these auctions.

According to ABSOLAR, approximately 850 MW of PV power plants selected in these auctions will be operational by the end of 2017.