en.Wedoany.com Reported - Copel has begun expanding the Segredo and Foz do Areia hydroelectric plants on the Iguaçu River, with an investment of approximately 5 billion reais. The installed capacity will increase from 6.2 GW to 8.3 GW, with completion expected by 2030. These projects mark the company's largest generation expansion cycle in recent decades. The projects are made possible because Copel won the Capacity Reserve Power Auction (LRCAP), a mechanism used by the Brazilian federal government to procure available electricity for periods of peak demand or intermittent generation declines.
Marcel Martins Malczewski, Chairman of the Board of Copel, stated that the expansion strengthens the company's growth strategy and expands its contribution to national energy security. He noted that with this achievement, Copel reinforces its strategic role in the Brazilian power system, contributing to grid stability by expanding the generation capacity of its main hydroelectric plants, increasing its importance in the sector, and providing clean energy to support the country's energy transition. The additional electricity will be sufficient to supply approximately 6 million people. This move is considered a strategic initiative to enhance the security of the National Interconnected System (SIN) and will create around 2,000 direct jobs during the peak construction period.
Daniel Slaviero, CEO of Copel, stated that the company has entered a new phase after transitioning from a mixed-economy company to a corporation, which was decisive for the implementation of the projects and the resumption of large-scale investments in the generation sector. He said that the start of these works marks a milestone in Copel's history, made possible only after the company's transformation into a corporation. The extension of the concession for an additional 30 years provided the company with the necessary conditions to participate in and win auctions of strategic importance to the country. Consequently, the company will expand its generation capacity by 33%, strengthening Brazil's energy security and enhancing the value of engineering technology in the state of Paraná.
Rogério Jorge, CEO of Copel GeT, emphasized that the expansion of the Foz do Areia and Segredo hydroelectric plants represents progress in the national energy transition, increasing generation capacity while achieving sustainability and efficient use of existing infrastructure. He pointed out that from an environmental perspective, this is a very positive project, expanding the supply of renewable, clean, and reliable energy, contributing to the country's energy security, and maintaining the balance of the power system amid the growth of intermittent sources such as solar and wind power. This is a solution that combines sustainability, efficiency, and intelligent use of existing resources.
At the Segredo hydroelectric plant, the works will employ innovative engineering solutions, reusing tunnels excavated during the initial construction to channel water to the new generating units. The project includes building a second powerhouse adjacent to the existing one, with a concrete volume equivalent to two Maracanã Stadiums and a steel volume equivalent to one Eiffel Tower. With the addition of two new generating units, the plant's capacity will double, making it a benchmark in national hydroelectric expansion projects. At Copel's largest plant, Foz do Areia, the expansion will be carried out using a scheme reserved in the original design, which already allocated space and infrastructure for new generating units. Two new turbines will be installed in the existing structure, reducing construction time, costs, and environmental impact. The expansion will increase the plant's capacity by 50%, consolidating its strategic role in power generation and the security of the national power system.
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