Grid Solutions, an integral part of the GE Vernova portfolio of energy businesses, has signed a contract with Casa dos Ventos, Brazilian renewable energy company and protagonist in the country’s energy transition, to construct two 500 kV air-insulated substations (AIS) for the Serra do Tigre Wind Complex in the municipalities of Currais Novos and Sao Tome in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The contract also includes the construction of a connection bay that will be installed in Santa Luzia, Paraiba.
GE Vernova’s Grid Solutions business has a long history of substation expertise in Brazil with 26% of all grid-connected 230 kV and 500 kV Brazilian wind farms relying on its technology. The Serra do Tigre Wind Complex project marks Grid Solutions’ sixth wind project with Casa dos Ventos in the northeast since 2013.
“This new contract is an important milestone in the partnership between both companies,” said Ivette Castillo, Grid Systems Integration General Manager for Latin America at GE Vernova. “This new project will further highlight Grid Solutions capacity and leadership in providing EPC projects in support of Brazil’s energy transition.”
“With a total capacity of 1 GW, the substations will be able to accommodate more energy generation in the northeast in the future, a region which is very conducive to the installation of renewables,” said Romulo Carminati, Grid Systems Integration Commercial Leader at GE Vernova. Specifically for the Serra do Tigre project, the installed capacity is 756 MW, coming from 168 wind turbines.
Rio Grande do Norte produces almost 8 GW of onshore wind energy per year, more than any other Brazilian state, according to the Brazilian Wind Energy Association (ABEEÓlica). The association estimates that the Northeastern region has the capacity to produce at least 93 GW more.
In addition to supplying the two greenfield substations, called Tigre Norte 2x 280 MVA and Tigre Sul 2x 220 MVA, Grid Solutions will also install a connection bay at the Santa Luzia substation and supply it with all the necessary high-voltage equipment, as well as the protection and control system, and the telecom system. The equipment and systems will be manufactured at Grid Solutions’ plants in Itajubá and Taubaté, Brazil, as well as in Italy.
The National Electrical System Operator (ONS) and National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) has established a series of strict technical requirements to help guarantee the safety, reliability, and efficiency of 500 kV AIS. Both Grid Solutions’ substations will be energized by the end of 2024. The complex’s wind machinery will gradually be tested thereafter.
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