en.Wedoany.com Reported - Cemig, in partnership with the Minas Gerais state government, recently completed a technical inspection of the Belo Vale substation, part of a R$53 million investment plan aimed at expanding and upgrading the power system in central Minas Gerais. The new facility has an installed capacity of 15 MVA and includes 27 kilometers of new distribution lines, directly benefiting approximately 200,000 residents across the four cities of Belo Vale, Moeda, Nova Lima, and Ouro Preto. This enhances power supply reliability and system capacity while creating new operational options for customers.
In addition to benefiting the public, the project strengthens regional competitiveness by expanding service capacity for local businesses. Companies such as Minerinvest, Green Metals, and Rosa do Vale will directly benefit from improved power quality and reliability, a key factor in expanding production activities, creating jobs, and attracting new investments. Cemig President Alexandre Ramos stated: "The commissioning of the Belo Vale substation reinforces Cemig's strategy of continuously investing in the expansion and modernization of the Minas Gerais power grid. In addition to improving power supply security and reliability for over 200,000 people, this project expands regional power capacity and enhances the resilience of the power system in the face of growing demand and climate challenges. We are building infrastructure capable of supporting Minas Gerais' development in the years to come."
Beyond expanding power capacity, the project also increases the company's operational flexibility, enabling faster and more efficient operations during maintenance scenarios. This means a more resilient grid that reduces impacts on customers and ensures more continuous service amid the region's economic growth and rising energy demand. To address challenges posed by extreme weather events, the energy transition, and the growth of distributed generation, Cemig is undertaking its largest investment cycle in history. Between 2019 and 2029, the company plans to invest approximately R$70 billion in the expansion, upgrade, and digitalization of Minas Gerais' power infrastructure. These investments include building and expanding 200 substations, digitalizing key grid units, installing 1.5 million smart meters, expanding three-phase grids in rural areas, deploying automation equipment capable of automatically restoring the system during faults, and advanced real-time monitoring and control systems. Cemig views this investment cycle as one of the major transformations currently underway in Brazil's power sector.
Cemig is also investing in its own telecommunications network, smart grids applied to asset management, and artificial intelligence technologies, as well as innovation projects, such as the first microgrid connected to the distribution network, serving a user in the city of Serra da Saudade. Through energy efficiency programs regulated by Aneel, the company has made ongoing investments in Belo Vale, historically totaling over R$2 million. In the past five years, more than R$1 million has been allocated to the "Cemig in Schools" and "Cemig in Communities" projects. Since 2020, the city has implemented LED public lighting through Cemig-supported projects, and the Henrique Penido Hospital has completed full lighting modernization through the "Cemig in Hospitals" project.
Cemig's Vice President of Distribution, Ernando Braga, stated that these initiatives reposition Cemig as a company prepared for the energy of the future. These investments not only expand grid capacity but also enhance the resilience of the power system, improve power quality, reduce fault response times, and create the necessary conditions for integrating new technologies, renewable energy, and consumption patterns that will transform the power industry in the coming years.
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