Ernergy Project for Espirito Santo
Genserico Encarna?o
Jr.
eeegense@nutecnet.com.br
English Version:
Frida Eidelman
frida@password.com.br
The Vitor Buaiz administration has conceived and created the Development
Agency in Network of Espirito Santo - ADERES - to promote the governmental articulation
with different private and governmental agencies for conducting the so called
re-structuring projects which will be the base of a new development cycle in the state.
In spite of the natural problems and obstacles deriving from implanting an agency of
such size, ADERES has been gaining success in its mission which includes as goal
activities: expansion of ship transport activities, construction of north and south coast
railways, promoting tourism, promoting agricultural business and the energy project.
In the energy project item, the main objective is to reverse the present situation of
energy dependence of the state, where only 20% of the electric power consumed is
produced. In this figure it is not included the significant energy cogenerated in
the industrial process of CST and Aracruz Celulose, that is, self-produced electric power.
It has been proved viable to attain this goal and the leader of this process will be
natural gas.
Petrobras produces in Espirito Santo on land and sea about 700 thousand cubic
meters daily of natural gas, commercializing it through the gas pipeline connecting S?
Mateus to Larger Vitoria. This company is about to increasethis availability in one
million cubic meters daily due to new discoveries made. Most part of this volume will be
used in the thermoelectric energy generation in the north of the state, in association
will Escelsa, with a capacity of 150 megawatts (MW).
To consider a local production of 2 million cubic meters daily is plainly
justifiable in view of the excellent possibilities of the geologic basin of Espirito
Santo. Petrobras and other similar companies working jointly will be able to largely
exceed this value with reasonable safety in the medium term.
On the other hand, it is under consideration to extend the gas pipeline network
in the south of the country , connecting the Rio de Janeiro network with that of Espirito
Santo which will permit an additional offer of 5 million cubic meters daily. This gas will
serve with priority the projects of Vale do Rio Doce which includes the construction of
one thermoelectric plant in Larger Vitoria with approximate capacity of 500 megawatts
(MW).
Therefore, the productive region and the gas market of Espirito Santo will be
connected to the Campos Basin and to the network ducts through which will be imported
Bolivian, Argentinean and, in the future, Peruvian natural gas. The predicted market for
the state is about 7 million cubic meters daily, one of the largest in Brazil.
The construction of two thermoelectric plants, adding 650 MW to the present
capacity of 200 MW, will practically render Espirito Santo on the verge of its electric
power self sufficiency. Everything within the best environmental standards, which only
natural gas permits.
Along these large undertakings, where ADERES acts as the government's representative,
it will also participate together with the Agriculture Department, the electric power
utilities and the municipalities in initiatives aiming at rendering viable the rural
electrification of about 3000 properties. With other Departments, it analyzes under a
federal program (PRODEEM) the electrification of schools in needy communities which are
far from the electric power networks.
ADERES is also the office and coordinator of both the State Energy Chamber and
the Commission of Surveillance of Piped Gas Distribution Concession (COFISGAS). The
Chamber is a forum where all representative segments of the electric sector have a seat.
COFISGAS is where the representatives of the conceding power (the state) and the
concessionaire (Petrobras Distribuidora) meet formally, with the technical support of two
committees (industrial and labor) in order to inspect the referred concession.
It should be emphasized the advisory service rendered by ADERES to the Energy Balance
and Energy Matrix of Espirito Santo, elaborated by theJones Santos Neves Institute from
the Planning Coordination Department, as well to the survey and study of the use of
hydraulic resources in energy and sanitation together with the Environment Department,
Escelsa and Cesan
The energy project of the state government intends, through its executiveagent - ADERES
-, articulated with other government and private organs, considering the progress of the
initiatives here mentioned, to leave as a legacy to the next administration, at the end of
next year, the guaranty of better days in the energy sector, consolidated in a Directive
Plan which will suggest the development of the actions taken up to that point.
The author is an economist from ADERES and Executive Secretary of the State
Chamber of Energy. |