Brazil's Ministry Of Mines And Energy Advances Power Transmission Infrastructure

Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy Advances Power Transmission Infrastructure, with First Auction in 2025 Investing R$5.53 Billion and Constructing 1,081 Kilometers of New Lines

 

In 2025, Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy focused on energy security and supply, advancing new transmission lines, distribution lines, and substation projects involving new technologies and regional integration. The Ministry's 2025 Power Transmission Authorization Plan outlines the new transmission and distribution lines, substations, and related equipment needed for grid expansion across the country. The document authorizes its subordinate National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) to initiate the necessary processes for awarding new infrastructure contracts, categorized according to specific circumstances, through competitive bidding or authorization procedures determined by the awarding authority.

 

 

The first power transmission auction in 2025 offered seven power transmission project lots, with an estimated total investment of R$5.53 billion. The projects are located in 12 states: Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Rondônia, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo. The auction, guided by the Ministry of Mines and Energy and executed by ANEEL, includes a total of 1,081 kilometers of new transmission lines and substations with a total capacity of 2,000 MVA, aiming to improve the dispatch of electricity, particularly from solar and wind power, to major consumption centers. These projects are expected to create approximately 13,000 direct and indirect jobs, with execution periods ranging from 42 to 60 months after contract signing.

 

To meet the growing electricity demand from data centers, as of November this year, the Ministry of Mines and Energy had received 59 applications for connection to the national interconnected system's basic network, with projects located in the states of Ceará, Bahia, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte, and Rio de Janeiro. These projects are expected to be primarily powered by renewable energy. In addition, the Ministry announced the completion of planning studies and the upcoming auction for the Northeast 2 bipolar high-voltage direct current (HVDC) corridor, a 2,500-kilometer line connecting Angicos and Itaporanga 2. This project will be the first in Brazil to utilize voltage source converter-based long-distance power transmission technology to enhance grid resilience in drought conditions and ensure that regional growth demands driven by new industrial loads are met.