716 MW Onshore wind farm in Brazil starts commercial operations

Enel Green Power Brasil Participações Ltda. (EGPB) has started commercial operations of the 716 MW Lagoa dos Ventos wind farm, which is the largest wind facility currently in operation in South America. 

The construction of the 716 MW facility, located in the municipalities of Lagoa do Barro do Piauí, Queimada Nova and Dom Inocêncio, in Brazil’s northeastern state of Piauí, involved an investment of around BRL3 billion (US$589.37 million). 

Out of the wind farm’s total installed capacity, 510 MW were awarded to Enel Green Power in Brazil’s A-6 public tender in December 2017 and is supported by 20-year power supply contracts with a pool of distribution companies operating in the country’s regulated market, while the output from the remaining 206 MW will be delivered to the free market for sale to retail customers, leveraging Enel’s integrated presence in the country.

Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of Enel Green Power, said: "Lagoa dos Ventos is a record-breaking wind project and its start of commercial operations is an important milestone for Enel Green Power worldwide, as our largest wind facility in the world, the wind project represents a significant step forward for our sustainable growth, while also supporting the green recovery in Brazil, further contributing to the diversification of the country’s energy mix.”

The onshore wind farm is comprised of 230 wind turbines and will be able to generate over 3.3TWh per year while avoiding the emission of over 1.9 million tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere.