Amazon Power Project Moves Brazil Closer to Emissions Goal with Plans to Install Cleaner Burning Gas Engines

MANAUS, Brazil--Seeking to fulfill local utility plans in Brazil, independent power producer Breitener Energética S.A. has launched an ambitious project to replace power plants running on heavy fuel-oil with new, cleaner-burning natural gas engines supplied by GE , and also create a more reliable energy source for the country’s northern regions.

“Brazil is facing a daunting challenge of minimizing the impacts of energy production while also meeting the demands for electricity in growing cities like Manaus”

Brazil has established a goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by between 36.1 and 38.9 percent from projected amounts in 2020.

Breitener is converting its UTE Mattos and UTE Fran heavy fuel-oil plants to use natural gas, which produces fewer emissions compared to heavy fuel-oil. The power company will then install 46 of GE’s low-emission Jenbacher gas engine generator sets—23 units at each plant site— to generate a combined 120 megawatts (MW) for the Amazon city of Manaus, northern Brazil’s second-largest city.

The natural gas will be delivered by a new pipeline connecting the oil and gas fields of Urucu in northern Brazil with the city of Manaus, enhancing Brazil’s domestic energy security.

“Brazil is facing a daunting challenge of minimizing the impacts of energy production while also meeting the demands for electricity in growing cities like Manaus,” said Wagner Silva, CEO of Breitener Energética S.A.. “Our project with GE underscores our ongoing support of Brazil’s goals to reduce the country’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions by replacing older power stations with advanced generation technology equipped with modern exhaust controls.”

Breitener cited GE’s expanded gas engine manufacturing center in Jenbach, Austria, for having the engine production capacity needed to meet the power company’s delivery and construction schedules.

“GE is excited to support Breitener’s power plant replacement project, which will offer the city of Manaus a cleaner, more reliable supply of energy by utilizing the region’s own natural gas resources,” said Rafael Santana, GE Energy Latin American region executive. “Our fuel-flexible Jenbacher gas engines are designed to help Brazil and other countries overcome their urgent local energy security and clean-air challenges in order to promote local economic growth.”

GE is scheduled to deliver the first four gen-sets in April 2010. Installation will begin as soon as the units arrive at the site.

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