EDP Renewables Brazil Builds a 70 MW Wind Farm in Rio Grande do Sul

SAO PAULO, March 24 /PRNewswire/ --  EDP Renewables, an EDP Group company, announces that the ground-breaking ceremony of its third wind farm in Brazil, based in Tramandai, Rio Grande do Sul took place today, Wednesday 24th March at 10 am.

The Tramandai Wind Farm has a installed capacity of 70 MW and an estimated production of 211,437 MWh per year, enough to supply a city of 200,000 inhabitants.

When the project is completed, which is expected to be at the end of this year, the company will have a wind power generation capacity of 84 MW, 13.8 MW of which corresponds to two already-operational parks in Santa Catarina. With all production fully contracted within the Brazilian Government's PROINFA renewable energy incentive programme, the Tramandai project will comprise 31 wind turbines (from 1.9 to 2.3 MW) with 98-metre towers and 40-metre blades, reaching a total height of 138 metres, equivalent to a 50-storey building.  To give an idea of its scope, a single 2.3 MW wind turbine produces 3 to 5 million kWh per year of clean energy - the amount consumed by 1,600 homes or 6,400 people.

The Tramandai Wind Farm strengthens EDP Group's firm, strategic commitment to wind power and responds to Brazilian parent company's need for clean energy to complement its hydro-electric and thermal energy production. As Brazil's economy grows the country will need new alternative energy sources. As well as being environmentally friendly, renewable energies allow for a considerable reduction of Brazil's dependency on foreign energy.

For this purpose, EDP Group can contribute its global experience through EDP Renewables, the world's third largest wind power producer.

Located in the south of the city of Tramandai in an area of 832 hectares, the wind farm should generate almost 1,000 jobs during peak construction periods, when the access roads, foundations, towers, sub-station and transmission lines are built.

EDP Renewables was awarded the license to build the wind farm in January this year by the Brazilian Government's State Foundation of Environmental Protection (Fepam). After a two-year process, the company has now obtained the required regulatory permits, including provisions for the protection and control of migrating birds and the preservation of native flora and fauna.

EDP Renewables Brazil – which is focused on wind power generation in Brazil – is owned by EDP Renewables (55%) and EDP Energias Do Brasil (45%).

About EDP Renovaveis

EDP Renovaveis (Euronext: EDPR), headquartered in Oviedo, Spain, is a global leader in the renewable energy sector that designs, develops, manages and operates power plants that generate electricity using renewable energy sources. With a sound development pipeline, first class assets and market-leading operating capacity, EDPR has undergone exceptional development in recent years.  Energias de Portugal, S.A. ("EDP"), the majority shareholder of EDPR, is a vertically-integrated utility company, headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal.  Through its various constituent businesses, EDP holds significant electricity and gas operations in Europe, Brazil and the United States.  For more information, visit www.edprenovaveis.com.

SOURCE EDP Renewables