The National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA) and the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) approved a joint resolution updating the criteria for the installation, operation and maintenance of hydrological stations in hydroelectric plants.
The measure, approved yesterday (19), was necessary due to changes in the sector’s legislation. The new resolution will replace, as of January 2023, a previous regulation of the two agencies on the subject.
The hydrological stations are used to monitor the amount of rainfall, variations in the level of the water surface, transport of sediments, flow and measurement of water levels, in addition to velocities and flows in the rivers and lakes where the plants are installed.
The information collected serves to increase the national hydrological knowledge and is sent to the National Hydrometeorological Network. According to Ana, the material provides “subsidies for the implementation of the National Water Resources Policy and providing governments and society with extensive water monitoring”.
The resolution of the two agencies maintains the need for hydrological measurement for all hydroelectric projects, by concessionaires and authorized, with an installed power greater than 1 Megawatt (MW). The text, however, specifies that plants from 1 MW to 5 MW without a concession contract or authorization will be inspected by ANA, while those above 5 MW or with a grant remain under Aneel’s inspection.
The regulation also provides information on the procedures for updating the Quota Area Volume tables of hydroelectric plants.
Another change brought about by the new regulation is the possibility for the National Electric System Operator (ONS) to suggest the locations for installing hydrological stations within the areas of each plant.
