Pátria Investimentos, the Shell Group and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) have announced the construction and operation of the gas-based thermal power plant Marlim Azul in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro. The partnership envisages construction of the plant and the sale of energy generated by it in both the captive market, through the auction held by the Brazilian electricity regulatory agency ANEEL in December 2017, and in the free energy contracting environment (ACL), through Shell Energy Brasil S.A. Pátria Investimentos will have a 50.1% stake in the project, while the Shell Group will have 29.9% and MHPS 20%.
The Marlim Azul (565 MW) plant was the first winning project at Brazil’s pre-salt gas-based energy auctions, offering one of the most competitive unit variable costs (CVU) among gas-based plants. The plant will go operational in 2022, generating additional energy, which will be sold in the free market. The joint venture will invest US$700 million in the construction of the thermal power plant, which will receive gas supplied by Shell Brasil Petróleo Ltda.
The first plant to use the MHPS gas turbine equipped with M501JAC technology in Brazil, Marlim Azul is expected to dispatch more than 80%, which will enable it to complement the intermittence of renewable generation by exploring the natural gas reserves in the pre-salt layer. At the peak of plant construction, up to 1,500 direct jobs may be created.
