Brazil is expanding its efforts to better integrate the power grids of South America to reduce emissions and increase regional energy security.
Its power grid already connects to Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela, and it is now working to strengthen integration with Bolivia.
As a first step, Brazil's national energy policy council approved on 1 October an agreement to share with Bolivia the additional power generated by the 3,750MW Jirau hydroelectric plant, on the Madeira River in Rondonia state, roughly 300km (186 miles) from the Bolivian border. Under the agreement, the Jirau plant can raise the water level in the dam's reservoir to 90m above sea level during the entire dry season. This will allow the plant to generate up to an average of 236MW more electricity using the same infrastructure. Two-thirds of the additional power will be allocated to Brazil and one-third to Bolivia.
Initially, Bolivian state-controlled power company Ende will sell the additional electricity to Brazil. But the two countries are working on expanding power transmission infrastructure, which would allow this energy to be directed to northern Bolivia to replace higher-cost and more polluting diesel generation.
The Brazilian government's energy research company released preliminary studies for new power transmission projects that would connect the power grid to Bolivia through substations and power lines in Mato Grosso do Sul. There is also a plan to connect Acre and Rondonia states to substations in Guayaramerin and Cobija, Bolivia.
In parallel, Brazil and Bolivia are assessing additional investments in new power generation capacity. This includes another hydroelectric complex on the Madeira, on the border.
The proposed complex, which includes two new hydroelectric dams, has already received fierce criticism from environmental groups.But Brazil's mines and energy minister Alexandre Silveira promised to move ahead with the technical studies for it, to provide "clean and secure" energy to residents of both nations.
Future collaboration could hinge on Bolivia's next election. President Luis Arce, whose term ends in November, has been spearheading the talks with Brazil. The 19 October runoff election is between two right-leaning candidates — Rodrigo Paz Pereira and Jorge Quiroga, both of whom have promised reforms to Bolivia's hydrocarbons law.
Brazil also seeks to strengthen energy exchange with Argentina and Uruguay. Brazil agreed with Uruguay in February to increase power transmission capacity. Brazil has already expanded electricity exports to Argentina, to take advantage of excess power generated in Brazil during the summer rainy season when demand in Argentina increases.
Integration to the north
The Brazilian government is assessing additional integration with its northern neighbors following the long-awaited completion of the Manaus-Boa Vista transmission line.
The 721km transmission line finally started operating in September, connecting Roraima state to the Brazilian power grid. The project was sold in a 2011 power transmission auction but faced significant delays because of the need to compensate the Waimiri Atroari indigenous group for the environmental and social impact of the project on their territory.
The project will reduce thermoelectric generation by 50pc in the state, lowering energy costs and emissions. The line can transport 1GW of power, but demand in Roraima state is roughly one-quarter of that. Speaking at the inauguration of the new transmission line, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stressed the potential to expand trade and commerce with northern neighbors Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.
With the new transmission line, Roraima state will become significantly less dependent on Venezuela for its power supply. Roraima used to receive around 50pc of its power from Venezuela through the Macagua-Las Claritas transmission line, which delivered power from the Guri hydroelectric plant. But problems with the transmission line and diplomatic issues resulted in the suspension of these exports in 2019. Since then, the state has increased thermoelectric generation and received intermittent power supplies from Venezuela.
