According to the company, the Sao Salvador facility is the group’s 15th power plant in Brazil and required an investment of approximately E307 million. Power produced at the 148MW Sao Salvador hydro electric plant has been sold in an auction for E2 billion for a 30-year period beginning in 2011.
The company said that, the group has started building the Jirau hydro electric power plant. In May 2008, a consortium led by GDF Suez was rewarded a 35-year concession to build, own and operate this 3,300MW dam.
Gerard Mestrallet, chairman and CEO of GDF Suez, said: “The construction of the Sao Salvador dam is symbolic of our industrial development in Brazil. For 10 years, GDF Suez has been pursuing a dynamic growth strategy mainly focused on energies with low CO2 emissions.
“With forecasted growth for the country’s electricity demand at over 5% annually until 2015, the group would like to continue sustainable growth through new hydro electric projects, acquisition of existing production assets and development in alternative renewable resources such as biomass.”
