OREANDA-NEWS. Brazil's LNG imports jumped by 24pc to 264,780 tons (12.18mn m?/d) in November compared to 213,042 t in the same period of 2014 as a record drought in the northeastern region drove demand for thermoelectric generation.

Imports in the first 11 months of the year reached 5.18mn t, an increase of roughly 40pc over the same period of 2014, according to the trade ministry.

Increased precipitation in the southeast/center-west subsystem, which holds over 70pc of Brazil's hydroelectric capacity, has helped to restore hydroelectric reservoirs, but many of the region's lower-cost natural gas-thermoelectric plants continue to operate to send electricity to the northeastern subsystem.

In November, thermoelectric dispatch declined to an average of 12.07GW compared to an average of 15.13GW in November 2014 and 13.7W in the October 2015, according to preliminary data from the national systems operator (ONS).

As a result of a deepening economic recession, electricity demand declined by an estimated 1.9pc in November, according to preliminary estimates by the electric energy clearinghouse (CCEE).

Pipeline gas imports from Bolivia dipped by 3.4pc to 734,575 t (33.79mn m?/d) in November compared to the same period of 2014.

Brazil produced 97.6mn m?/d of gas in October, of which 56.1mn m?/d was available to the market, down from 60.7mn m?/d in October 2014, according to the oil regulator ANP.

The remaining gas was re-injected (25.4mn m?/d), consumed by oil-producing companies (12.0mn m?/d) and flared (4.12mn m?/d).

In November, Petrobras' Bahia LNG import terminal in Bahia state received 126,993 t of LNG, compared to 186,650 t in November 2014.

The Guanabara terminal received 106,132 t of LNG in November, compared to 26,302 t in November 2014.

The Pecem terminal in Ceara state received 31,653 t LNG in November, with none registered in the same month a year ago. According to the Pecem port authority, Golar's Methane Princess arrived in the port on 30 November.

Excelerate Energy's Excalibur is scheduled to arrive in Pecem with an LNG shipment on 11 December.

Driven by the periodic weather phenomenon known as El Ni?o, persistent dry weather in the northeastern region has forced the government to maintain the dispatch of all thermoelectric plants that cost less than R600/MWh ($159.15/MWh) to operate.

The government?s electricity sector monitoring committee (CMSE) said on 9 December that with current levels of thermoelectric generation, there is no risk of power rationing.

Brazil added an additional 5,170MW of new generation capacity in the year to date through 9 December.

In November, 721MW of capacity were added, including the first 364MW turbine of the 1,820MW Teles Pires hydroelectric plant located on the border of Para and Mato Grosso states.

The CMSE expects an additional 800MW of capacity to come on stream before the end of the year. A total of 18 wind farms added 285MW of capacity over the past month.

The first 12.8MW turbine of the 128MW Oiapoque biomass plant in Amapa state also began operating. Additional capacity came from one turbine of the 3,750MW Santo Antonio hydroelectric plant (69.6MW).

November precipitation in the northeastern region registered just 14pc of its historical average and hydroelectric reservoirs in the region hit a record low of 4.7pc of their installed capacity, their lowest level on record, as of 30 November. During the first nine days of December, reservoir levels in the region were at just 4.9pc.

The ONS is adopting a system aimed at conserving hydroelectric reservoirs in the region, where precipitation levels are expected to reach 38pc of the historical average in December.