<article><p class="lead">Brazil is on track to import a record volume of LNG this year because of persistent dry weather coupled with the commissioning of new LNG-to-power projects.</p><p>As arid conditions dragged on into April, the electricity sector monitoring committee (CMSE) cleared the dispatch of thermoelectric plants and electricity imports. Hydroelectric reservoirs in the strategic southeast/center-west grid ended April at the lowest average level since 2015. September-April rainfall was the lowest since government records began in 1931. </p><p>With dry season underway, LNG-linked thermoelectric plants were dispatched ahead of schedule last month to slow the decline of the reservoirs.</p><p>LNG demand started the year at above-normal levels, with send-out of 18.25mn m³/d in the first two months of the year, according to mines and energy ministry data. This compares to just 4.94mn m³/d in the same period of 2020 and 18.17mn m³/d in the first two months of 2015, when full-year send-out hit a record 17.94mn m³/d.</p><p>All of the January-February send-out came from two terminals operated by state-controlled Petrobras — Guanabara with 15.33mn m³/d, and Pecem 2.93mn m³/d. Petrobras recently reported total send-out of 19mn m³/d in the first quarter, up nearly 175pc on the year.</p><p>In April, thermoelectric generation soared by 37pc to 11,613MW, up from 8,492MW in April 2020, according to preliminary data from the electricity clearinghouse CCEE. Nearly all of the increase came from gas-fired power plants, with an average of 5,837MW, more than double the year-earlier average.</p><h3>Shrinking role for Petrobras</h3><p>Petrobras' leading role in LNG imports is starting to shrink, in line with its <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2210407">anti-trust commitments</a>. The company is currently in the process of leasing its Bahia LNG terminal. Private-sector Gas Natural Acu's (GNA) 1.33GW GNA1 LNG-to-power project in Rio de Janeiro state is scheduled to begin commercial operations on 31 May. The 1.5GW Porto de Sergipe LNG-to-power project is expected to begin operating by June.</p></article>
