Enel starts operations of 172 MW Morro do Chapéu Sul wind facility in Brazil

Enel, through its Brazilian renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power Brasil Participações (EGPB), began operation of its Morro do Chapéu Sul wind facility, which has a total installed capacity of 172 MW and is located in the municipalities of Morro do Chapéu and Cafarnaum, in Brazil’s north-eastern state of Bahia.

“The start of operations of Morro do Chapéu marks a new, important milestone in the consolidation of our wind footprint in Brazil, following the success obtained in the country’s A-6 tender held at the end of last year,” said Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel’s Global Renewable Energies division, Enel Green Power (EGP). “Through this latest tender award, we will build over 600 MW of new wind capacity, including Morro do Chapéu II, a 78 MW extension of Morro do Chapéu Sul. This achievement, alongside our leadership in the Brazilian solar sector, is further testament to our commitment to contribute our energy to the country’s sustainable growth.”

Enel invested around 380 million US dollars in the construction of the facility, as part of the investments foreseen in its current strategic plan, and is financed through Enel Group’s own resources as well as by a long-term financing provided by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES).

Morro do Chapéu Sul is comprised of six wind farms, for a total installed capacity of 172 MW: Ventos de Santa Esperança (28 MW), Ventos de Santa Dulce (28 MW), Ventos de São Mário (30 MW), Ventos de São Paulo (28 MW), Ventos de São Abraão (28 MW) and Boa Vista (30 MW). The facility, which is owned by four special purpose vehicles (SPVs) held by EGPB, will be able to generate more than 830 GWh per year once fully operational. Four of the wind farms are supported by 20-year power supply contracts with a pool of Brazilian electricity distribution companies, while the remaining two (Ventos de São Abraão and Boa Vista) are supported by a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed in the free market.

In line with the Enel Group’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) model, which aims to combine business development and local community needs, EGPB has launched, in collaboration with local associations, a set of initiatives aimed at creating income generation opportunities for the local community living in the areas neighbouring Morro do Chapéu Sul, such as carpentry and electrician training courses. The company also supported a local, 110-year-old orchestra through the purchase of instruments.

In Brazil, the Enel Group, through its subsidiaries EGPB and Enel Brasil, has a total installed renewable capacity of nearly 2.8 GW, of which 842 MW from wind power, 716 MW from solar PV and 1,270 MW from hydropower, as well as 103 MW of solar capacity currently under construction. The company has also recently been awarded contracts for a total renewable capacity of more than 1 GW in the A-4 and A-6 Brazilian tenders.

Enel Green Power, the renewable energies division of the Enel Group, is dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of around 40 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies into renewables power plants.