en.Wedoany.com Reported - Representatives from Brazil's power sector, government, regulatory agencies, and financial institutions called on Wednesday (10th) for measures to promote the construction of pumped storage hydropower plants. The topic was discussed during a roundtable organized by the International Hydropower Association (IHA) and the Brazilian Association of Electric Power Generation Companies (Abrage, Associação Brasileira das Empresas Geradoras de Energia Elétrica), alongside the release of a policy document proposing recommendations to unlock investments in hydropower energy storage systems.
The policy document outlines four main action areas. The first is to clarify the regulatory status of hydropower storage systems, including concession rules and grid connection regulations. The second is to create conditions for project development by providing siting signals and predictability for future auctions.
The document also advocates for long-term capacity or flexibility contracts, which it considers essential to ensure the economic viability of investments. Another recommendation is to adopt environmental licensing and concession approval procedures tailored to the scale and impact of projects, particularly for closed-loop systems or retrofits of existing hydropower plants.
According to the relevant institutions, with the expansion of wind and solar power, pumped storage hydropower plants can play a strategic role in enhancing the operational flexibility of the power system. The document notes that delays in deploying this technology have led to rising system costs, increased curtailment of renewable energy, and greater reliance on thermal power plants during peak demand periods.
Participants in the roundtable included representatives from Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME, Ministério de Minas e Energia), Ministry of Finance (MF, Ministério da Fazenda), Federal Court of Accounts (TCU, Tribunal de Contas da União), National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL, Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica), National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA, Agência Nacional de Águas e Saneamento Básico), Electric Energy Trading Chamber (CCEE, Câmara de Comercialização de Energia Elétrica), National Electric System Operator (ONS, Operador Nacional do Sistema Elétrico), Energy Research Company (EPE, Empresa de Pesquisa Energética), as well as industry and financial sector figures.
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