Largest transmission line goes into operation two months in advance

The first Latin America ±800 kV UHVDC (Ultrahigh-Voltage Direct Current) Electricity Transmission Line came into operation on December, 12th 2017 which drains energy generated by the Belo Monte Power Plant in Xingu (Pará, North of Brazil) to the National Interconnected System (SIN – Sistema Inter Nacional) in the Southeast region.  The enterprise started two months in advance of the target established by the Electric Energy National Agency (Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica – Aneel).

The project has been developed by the Belo Monte Electricity Transmission (BMTE – Belo Monte Transmissora de Energia) a Specific Purpose Society (Sociedade de Propósito Específico – SPE). The team was compounded by the Chinese State Grid Brazil Holding which holds 51% for its participation; and by the Brazilian ones – Eletrobras subsidiaries – Furnas and Eletronorte with 24,5% each, was responsible for the construction .

With an investment  about R$5 billion (US$1.5 billion), the Transmission Line ± 800 kV UHVDC Xingu-Estreito-Bipolo1 has a length of 2,076 km, starting in Pará, (PA), crossing Tocantins (TO) and Goiás (GO) until reaching the south of Minas Gerais (MG), passing through 70 municipalities. The project also includes two 4000 MW capacity converter stations, two ground electrodes and their respective transmission lines with 36km in the state of Pará and 72km predominantly in the state of São Paulo, six telecommunication repeater stations and seven maintenance centers, other associated facilities.

Besides the transmission line, the project also includes associated facilities, including two converter stations (Direct Current to Alternating Current), two earth electrodes installed in the municipality of Anapu (PA) and Altinópolis (SP) and two electrode lines linking Electrodes to the converter stations.

In mid 2017 we reported that ABB won an order worth around US$75 million to supply advanced converter transformers for the Belo Monte 800 kV UHVDC transmission link. The company supplied for the project fourteen 400 MVA, 400 kV converter transformers and other related equipment. 

We have recently reported about several transmission lines globally:

• 1.5 GW transmission line in California - USA
• Tintaya-Azángaro transmission line and associated substations - Peru
• 132 kW Rabal-Kilifi and Voi-Taveta transmission lines - Kenya
• 1,090 MW electric transmission line project in North America - USA & Canada
• West-East Gas Pipeline in Australia - Australia
• Nueva Yanango - Nueva Huanuco connection and associated substations - Peru