Three investors are betting on pre-salt natural gas to generate thermal electricity at a price similar to that of the hydroelectric plants: Shell, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas (MHPS), and Pátria Investimentos. This R$ 2.5 billion project takes place in the municipality of Macaé, in the north of Rio de Janeiro, and the “ace in hole” is in the price of gas used as an input, investors said. With operation scheduled for the beginning of 2023, the plant will be the first to add value to the pre-salt gas. Shell is going to supply the raw material, which is extracted from the Santos Basin at a more competitive price, as it will not be pegged to the dollar and international quotations. Once completed, the plant will have the capacity to generate 565 megawatts (MW), which is enough to supply a city of 2.5 million inhabitants. Half the construction has been completed so far.
Sources: Estadão/Portos e Navios (*Translated by Ia Niani)