Gas Natural Acu (GNA) power project is a 3GW integrated LNG-to-power project being developed in two phases at the Port of Acu, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. It will be the biggest gas-fired power facility in Latin America, when completed.
Construction on the first phase of the project, which involves building the 1.3MW GNA-I combined-cycle power plant, began in 2018. The GNA-I plant is scheduled for commissioning in 2021.
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The 1.7GW GNA-II power plant to be built in the second phase of the project is expected to come online in 2023. It is being built with an estimated investment of $1.1bn and is expected to generate enough electricity to power four million people, while offsetting 139,000 tonnes (t) CO2 emissions a year.
The authorisation for the construction of the GNA-II power plant at the Port of Acu was granted by the Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy in the first quarter of 2018.
Ownership and development partners
Two special-purpose vehicles (SPVs), namely UTE GNA I and UTE GNA II, have been created to construct and operate the first and second plants, respectively. Both the SPVs are led by Prumo Logistica, which operates the Port of Acu.
Siemens holds 33% stake in UTE GNA I, while the remaining 67% interest is held by Gas Natural Acu (GNA), a joint venture of Prumo Logistica (70%) and BP (30%).
UTE GNA-I plant make-up
The GNA-I combined-cycle power plant, being developed on a 400m² site, will be equipped with three Siemens H-class gas turbine-generator units along with one steam turbine-generator unit, three heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), and the associated instrumentation and control systems also from Siemens.
Upon completion, it will be one of the most efficient gas-fired power plants in entire Latin America.
The GNA-I power project also involves the construction of an onsite substation and a transmission line to connect the plant to the grid.
Gas supply
The feed gas for both the GNA-I and GNA-II power plants, which will consume an estimated total of 12.6 million cubic meters a day (Mcm/d) of natural gas, will be supplied by BP.
The plants will receive gas supply via pipeline from an LNG import and regasification terminal to be developed at the Acu Port.
Gas Natural Acu LNG import and regasification terminal details
The Acu regasification terminal is proposed to be developed with a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to be installed in the South Terminal of the port. The FSRU will be located next to a 6.5km-long, 300m-wide, and up to 14.5m-deep navigation channel.
The LNG import terminal will receive LNG supply from Campos and Santos basins via LNG carriers.
The terminal will have a regasification capacity of 40Mcm/d and 1.1 million m³ of LNG storage capacity.
Financing
International Finance Corporation (IFC), a sister organization of the World Bank, provided a 15-year $288m loan facility for the UTE GNA-I project in April 2019.
Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) provides another $475m loan facility for the project in partnership with KfW IPEX-Bank and the German Export Credit Agency Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft.
Contractors involved
Siemens, along with the Brazilian company Andrade Gutierrez. is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the first phase of the GNA LNG-to-power project.
Siemens confirmed the award of contract for the supply of main equipment along with a long-term service agreement for the combined-cycle power plant in April 2019.
