en.Wedoany.com Reported - Brazil's National Electric System Operator (ONS) has registered 223 project applications, totaling 11.5 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity, seeking to exit Transmission System Usage Contracts (Cust) through a special mechanism and abandon generation licenses deemed unfeasible. This figure exceeds the expectations of the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) when approving Normative Resolution No. 1.157/2026, which previously estimated that approximately 9.5 GW of contracts were economically unviable and had the potential to join the mechanism.

Of the 223 applications received, 211 correspond to solar projects, totaling 9.3 GW. Another nine applications involve wind power projects, approximately 300 megawatts (MW), and three applications come from thermal power plants, representing 1.9 GW. These projects are distributed across nine states: Ceará, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Minas Gerais (leading with 4 GW of registered capacity), and Bahia (2.8 GW).

These applications will first undergo document review by the ONS. Projects deemed eligible will be submitted to Aneel, which will decide whether to revoke the corresponding generation licenses.

The resolution, approved at an Aneel board meeting, establishes a new round of the "amnesty day" mechanism, allowing the revocation of licenses and termination of Cust contracts without payment of the Transmission System Usage Contract termination fee (Eust). The measure also provides for the refund of guarantees related to the contracts and exemption from fines for delays in commencing commercial operations. According to Aneel, this initiative aims to reduce the risk of default for transmission companies and free up transmission capacity currently occupied by projects that are difficult to implement, rather than benefiting generators.

During discussions on the regulation, technical departments estimated that approximately 9.5 GW of Transmission System Usage (Must) was associated with projects lacking implementation prospects, with potential termination fees for these contracts amounting to around 3.5 billion Brazilian reais. Aneel rejected proposals made during the public consultation to increase participation costs, such as partially charging termination fees, excluding fine amnesties, and imposing future restrictions on benefiting entrepreneurs. The agency assessed that increasing participation costs would reduce the effectiveness of the plan among participants facing economic difficulties.

Companies interested in participating in the mechanism must formally submit their applications by June 16. According to the schedule established in the resolution, the ONS must submit to Aneel by August 20 a list of projects that meet the participation requirements.

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