ENGIE Brasil Energia has signed a financing agreement with the Brazilian Development Bank – BNDES (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social) for the implementation of Phase I of the Santo Agostinho Wind Complex. Representing approximately 64% out of the total investment in the project, the financing is worth R$ 1.473 billion.

The Santo Agostinho Wind Complex is being installed in the municipalities of Lajes and Pedro Avelino, approximately 120 km from the state capital, Natal (RN). The total installed capacity of 434 MW will be reached with the installation of 70 Siemens Gamesa-made wind turbines of 6.2 MW each distributed in 14 wind farms. The project’s viability made possible through the sale of energy to clients on the free market, this phase of the Complex will require investments of the order of R$ 2.3 billion (as at the baseline month of December/2020) and a buildup to a workforce of more than a thousand jobs in the region, of which approximately 800 have already been created. This entire labor force is already involved in activities of civil construction and installation of components in the first wind farms in addition to monitoring activities by a range of different specialists in the socio-environmental and archeological areas.

The new project reinforces ENGIE’s growth strategy and increases the Company’s footprint n Brazil through the exploration of renewable sources with low greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). “Right now, growth of electric energy, especially from renewable sources, is critical to the future of Brazil. The feasibility of this financing is the result of a collective effort. It is an indication of the commitment of both ENGIE and the BNDES to the country’s development in a responsible manner and considering the importance of allocating resources for accelerating the growth of wind generation and diversifying the domestic energy matrix”, comments the Chief Executive and Investor Relations Officer  of the company, Eduardo Sattamini.

ENGIE Brasil Energia’s commitment to socio-environmental questions will also contribute to the communities surrounding the project. In addition to the programs and actions linked to the licensing process, the Company will make further investments of a voluntary nature in projects which benefit the region. Among the initiatives envisaged are the rescue and monitoring of flora and fauna, waste management activities, the restoration of degraded areas, initiatives for conserving the biodiversity  and the management of the archeological heritage. With respect to projects in the social area, key activities are those involving communication and educational activities in the communities and specifically with workers as well as projects for generating income and for skills training.

At the project site, a start has already been made on the  construction of access roads, excavation of wind turbine tower foundations as well as the implementation of medium voltage networks and the construction of the collector substation, all synergies which help both development and viability.

The Santo Agostinho project has recently received a preliminary license issued by the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável e Meio Ambiente (Idema), the state  of Rio Grande do Norte environmental protection agency, declaring the operation environmentally viable. All the necessary installation licenses have been issued as well as the respective agreements from the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute – Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN) for the wind farms.