04.10.2023
One of the leaders in clean energy generation in the country, CTG Brasil completed 10 years of operation last Wednesday, the 4th. In its first decade, the company, which has an installed capacity of 8.3 GW, is leading initiatives with the objective to build a more sustainable future for everyone, such as encouraging the energy transition through investment in new renewable energy sources (solar and wind), in addition to leading the largest hydropower plant modernization project ever carried out by a private company in America Latina, bringing even more reliability and efficiency to two essential assets for the national generating complex: the Jupiá and Ilha Solteira hydropower plants.
Trajectory
Originating from the internationalization strategy of China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG Corp), one of the global leaders in clean energy, CTG Brasil began its history in the country in 2013, with the launch of an investment platform for Latin America. In 2014, it acquired a stake in three EDP hydropower plants in Brazil: Santo Antônio do Jari (AP), Cachoeira Caldeirão (AP) and São Manoel (MT). In 2015, a new partnership with EDP and the acquisition of 50% of 11 wind farms in the South Region and Rio Grande do Norte. In 2015, it acquired the Salto (GO) and Garibaldi (SC) HPPs from Triunfo Participações – the first hydropower plants 100% managed by the company.
In 2016, the company accelerated its investments in the country, with the acquisition of ten assets from Duke Energy: the Retiro and Palmeiras PCHs, on the Sapucaí-Mirim river; and 8 hydropower plants on the Paranapanema River – Capivara, Chavantes, Canoas I, Canoas II, Rosana, Salto Grande, Jurumirim and Taquaruçu. In addition, it starts operating the Jupiá and Ilha Solteira HPPs, assets previously operated by CESP, after an auction promoted by Aneel, for R$13.8 billion, with a 30-year grant.
Energy transition
In recent years, CTG Brasil has also begun to direct efforts towards other lines of business, such as the creation of CTG Trading, in 2020, reinforcing its marketing strategy, and the launch, in 2022, of its ESG Strategy, which integrated and consolidated the company’s actions and programs in the social, environmental and governance spheres. In addition to beginning, in the same year, the construction of the Arinos solar complex, its first photovoltaic park in the country, in the municipality of Arinos (MG), with a granted capacity of 336.8 MW. The company also has the construction of a wind farm project in Paraíba in the pipeline.
“We currently generate enough clean energy to supply more than 10 million homes, and we are investing in the modernization of our park and in the diversification of our asset portfolio, especially in solar and wind sources, to increase our efficiency and production capacity”, says Zhang Liyi, CEO of CTG Brasil.
Modernization
One of CTG Brasil’s greatest milestones in these 10 years of operation is the modernization program of the Jupiá and Ilha Solteira plants, the largest ever carried out by a 100% national company. The project involves the installation, replacement and renovation of 34 generating units across the two assets – 20 in Ilha Solteira and 14 in Jupiá – and began in 2017, with a total expected investment of R$3 billion by 2038.
As part of the modernization project, it is also worth mentioning as an important milestone the inauguration, in 2022, of the company’s new Generation Operation Center (COG), at the Ilha Solteira Hydropower Plant, the company’s operational “brain”, which allows access remotely and control all CTG Brasil plants in real time.
Security
At the regional level, in addition to supporting social, environmental, cultural, social entrepreneurship and historical heritage projects, both through direct investments and tax incentive laws and environmental compensation actions, another topic that deserves to be highlighted in the first 10 years of CTG Brazil is the safety of its dams, with the implementation of the Emergency Action Plan (PAE).
In 2017, in compliance with the National Dam Safety Policy, CTG Brasil began implementing the PAE in all its units, a preventive plan that establishes all procedures in the event of an emergency situation. Involving communities and Civil Defenses, the plan has been implemented in stages. Currently, the PAE is in the sound testing phase on the siren towers installed at the plants. In 2024, the first simulated exercises are planned.
“We remain aware of our responsibility, reaffirming our commitment to generating clean and renewable energy, contributing to the energy transition and a low-carbon economy. For the coming years, we will continue to prioritize safety, the efficiency of our operations and the sustainability of our business, investing in innovation and strategies that prioritize life and the planet”, explains Zhang Liyi, CEO of CTG Brasil.
