Enel Green Power starts construction of 133 MW extension of Sao Goncalo solar PV project in Brazil

The Enel Group’s Brazilian renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power Brasil Participações Ltda. (EGPB) has started construction of the 133 MW expansion of the São Gonçalo solar park, located in São Gonçalo do Gurguéia, in Brazil’s northeastern state of Piauí. The expansion brings the overall capacity of São Gonçalo to 608 MW. The Enel Group will invest around BRL422 million (US$105 million) in the construction of the new 133 MW section.

The 608 MW São Gonçalo solar plant is due to start operations in 2020, the construction of its first 475 MW section having started in October 2018. Out of São Gonçalo’s overall installed capacity:

•  343 MW, including the 133 MW from the new section and a 210 MW portion from the first section, are supported by power supply contracts negotiated with corporate customers in the Brazilian free energy market;
•  265 MW from the first section are supported by 20-year power supply contracts with a pool of distribution companies operating in the country’s regulated market.

Once fully operational, the expansion of São Gonçalo solar park will be able to generate around 360 GWh per year, while avoiding the emission of around 207,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. With the expansion up and running, the entire 608 MW plant will be capable of generating more than 1,500 GWh annually, avoiding the emission of over 860,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.

The 608 MW São Gonçalo plant is Enel’s first plant in Brazil to use bifacial solar modules that capture solar energy from both sides of the panel. The innovative modules are expected to increase power generation up to 18%.