Sterlite Power has successfully commissioned “Marituba” — its sixth power transmission project in Brazil.
Built with an investment of Rs.1,600 crore, Project Marituba involved developing a 344-km long 500kV transmission corridor connecting Brazil’s largest hydropower plant at Tucuruí to the metropolitan region of Belém to deliver up to 1,000 mw of green energy.
The Marituba project is fully integrated with the National Interconnected System (SIN) – the Brazilian National Grid. Located in the Amazon region, it is the largest power transmission project executed by Sterlite Power Brazil. It has traversed 15 cities and 27 Quilombola Afro-Brazilian communities and has created more than 2000 jobs in the region, positively impacting the Brazilian economy and its people.
Challenges overcome
The company faced several challenges during the project construction, such as crossing the Tocantins, Acará, and Guamá rivers, and the assembly of towers over 150m high to execute the three river crossings, each spanning over 1.5 km. Innovative techniques, such as the use of vessels to transport structures and materials to cross the cables through the water, were adopted to divert river traffic.
Global auction
Since its foray in Brazil in 2017, Sterlite Power has built a significant footprint in the country, acquiring 13 Projects through greenfield global auction process. Currently, the company has a strong portfolio of 8 power transmission projects, of which it has developed six projects, spanning approximately 2,000 km of transmission lines and 22 substations.
Noteworthy contribution
Commenting on the milestone, Pratik Agarwal, Managing Director, Sterlite Power, said, “Over the past 6 years, we have made a noteworthy contribution to the Brazilian energy market by securing and delivering critical transmission projects. We will continue to make a meaningful impact on the lives of people in Brazil by ensuring delivery of quality transmission assets in record time.”
Enriching experience
According to Amitabh Prasad, CEO, Sterlite Power Brazil, “We are very pleased to commission the Marituba project. The project presented us with invaluable opportunities for acquiring knowledge, primarily owing to the remarkable intricacies of the installation process involving towers and transmission lines within the challenging operational environment.”
Also read: Sterlite Power Begins Aerial Operations For Mumbai Transmission Project
Sterlite Power in Brazil
Some of the noteworthy achievements of Sterlite Power in Brazil include the delivery of its first project – Arcoverde, 28 months ahead of schedule. In the auctions held last year, the company won two important lots – 5 and 9, with a total estimated capex of Rs 1,800 crore. Apart from this, Sterlite Power also commissioned three more projects earlier this year, which connected renewable energy to the Brazilian national grid.
Featured photograph (source: Sterlite Power) shows an element of the Marituba transmission project in Brazil.
