French power and natural major GDF Suez has announced that, through its subsidiary Tractebel Energia, it will inaugurate a new hydroelectric power plant at Sao Salvador in Brazil.
According to the company, the 241MW Sao Salvador greenfield hydropower plant, is located on the Tocantins River, between the states of Tocantins and Goias. It will generate energy to supply a city of one million inhabitants, claims the company. Total investment in the plant was around E307 million.
GDF Suez has already sold the plant’s total 148.5MW annual average guaranteed energy output, under 30-year term power purchase agreements for E2 billion, at power auctions in Brazil in 2006. The project was included in Brazil’s Program for Acceleration of Growth.
Gerard Mestrallet, chairman and CEO of GDF Suez, said: “With the growing demand for electricity in the country, Brazil is at the group’s strategic development in Latin America. Our portfolio of hydro projects provides a good platform to pursue sustainable growth of generating clean energy.”
GDF Suez is an energy provider and active in energy value chain, in electricity and natural gas, upstream to downstream. It develops its businesses (energy, energy services and environment) around a model to respond to energy needs, ensuring the security of supply, fighting against climate change and maximizing the use of resources.
