OREANDA-NEWS. MPX announces that on March 29, 2013, Thermal Power Plant Parnaiba I, in Santo Antonio dos Lopes, municipality of the state of Maranhao, received authorization from the National Agency for Electrical Energy (Aneel) to begin commercial operation of its third turbine, with installed capacity of 169 MW. The plant has a total installed capacity of 676 MW, composed by four gas fueled turbines of 169 MW each.

The third turbine of Thermal Power Plant Parnaiba I began supplying energy to the National Interconnected System (SIN) on March 16, 2013, in test phase, having generated approximately 13 thousand MWh during this period. With the approval of the Declaration of Commercial Operation (DOC) of the third turbine, the power plant will supply an average 337.5 MW for energy distributors, being remunerated according to the terms of the Agreement of Energy Commercialization in the Regulated Environment (CCEAR) guaranteed in the 2008 A-5 energy auction.

The endeavor, a 70-30% partnership between MPX and Petra Energia, commercialized an average 450 MW for a period of 15 years. The contract guarantees a total annual minimum revenue of BRL 421.2 million (base: October, 2012), indexed by IPCA (Extended Consumer Price Index – IBGE) and, additionally, a variable revenue provided to cover costs (fuel, operation and maintenance) incurred when the plant was dispatched by the National System Operator (ONS).

With this additional turbine at Thermal Power Plant Parnaiba I, MPX’s energy generation endeavors in commercial operation have already reached 1,251 MW of installed capacity. Besides Thermal Power Plant Parnaiba I, Thermal Power Plant Itaqui, also located in the state of Maranhao, and Thermal Power Plant Energia Pecem and Wind Power Plant Solar Taua, in the state of Ceara, are generating energy for the National Interconnected System, contributing to the country’s energy safety. Besides these endeavors, MPX operates a diesel fueled plant in the state of Amapa.