Rio Grande Energia to build 700 MW power-plant

May 26, 1998 The Rio Grande do Sul-based electric energy distributor Rio Grande Energia, one of CEEE's assets that were privatised by October, 1997, will build a 700-MW thermoelectric plant in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Due to it, Rio Grande Energia, owned by CEA, VBC Energia and Previ, has been contacting equipment manufacturers and natural gas suppliers.
Rio Grande Energia annually supplies 800,000 consumers in the state with 5,000 GW per hour. Most of the energy is imported, since the company's production capacity amounts to 6 MW only. Rio Grande Energia signed last month a contract with the local government and Petrobras in order to build a gas pipeline between Uruguaiana and Porto Alegre. It will be an extension of the gas pipeline that will be built between Argentina and the Uruguaiana-based thermoelectric plant. Besides, Rio Grande Energia evaluates other energy supply alternatives, such as the gas pipeline between Brazil and Bolivia and the one that will be built by Amoco, Bridas and British Gas between Uruguay and Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul.