The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) approved financial support worth R$3.8 billion for Portocem Geração de Energia SA to implement a thermoelectric plant powered by natural gas, UTE Portocem I, in Barcarena (PA). The work is part of the New PAC and includes a 3.8 km transmission line that will be connected to the National Interconnected System (SIN).
The resources will be allocated to civil works, acquisition of machines, assemblies, installations and equipment. The project has a total investment value of R$ 5.4 billion and consists of the implementation and operation of UTE Portocem I, in open cycle (simple cycle), with a total power of 1,571.9 MW, with four turbogenerators of 392.97 MW .
“Natural gas thermoelectric plants have the capacity to be activated quickly when necessary, being essential during periods of water scarcity and to meet peak consumption, such as at night or during hot days, when the demand for room cooling is high. Therefore, Portocem will act as backup of the National Interconnected System, with energy dispatched only at times of peak power demand and/or to replace unavailable plants”, says BNDES.
The primary energy source will be natural gas from the LNG Import and Regasification Terminal, with a capacity of 15 million m3/day, of Centrais Elétricas Barcarena SA (CELBA I), belonging to New Fortes Energy, and which is already in operation.
For the bank, the installation of the plant in the Port of Vila do Conde in Barcarena provides numerous advantages, such as wide waterway access through Marajó Bay (to receive ships with natural gas), proximity to the great demand for energy (region metropolitan area of Belém and Alunorte, the largest alumina refinery in the world outside of China) and the supply of natural gas to enterprises in the region, which currently use diesel or fuel oil as the primary source of heat generation in their production processes.
“Natural gas has been gaining increasing importance in the Brazilian electricity matrix as it is a less polluting fuel, due to the low concentration of contaminants in its composition. Compared to coal or oil, it emits significantly fewer greenhouse gases. This makes projects like Portocem a more sustainable option, keeping the Brazilian energy matrix cleaner”, explains the president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante.
The director of Infrastructure and Climate Change at BNDES, Luciana Costa, adds that natural gas, considered a transition fuel, “performs better than other fossil fuels and offers security and stability to the electrical system in a context in which projects are being expanded. of electrical generation from intermittent renewable sources. This energy transition role allows the country to continue expanding generation from renewable sources, while ensuring security and reliability in energy supply.”
Portocem
Portocem Geração de Energia SA is a specific purpose company, established with the aim of implementing and operating UTE Portocem I. It won the 1st Capacity Reserve Auction, in 2021, organized by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, National Energy Agency Electricity (Aneel) and Electricity Trading Chamber (CCEE). Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in August 2026.
