Neoenergia S A : In the first half of 2021, the company invested R$ 3.5 billion, an increase of 51% compared to ...

Neoenergia bets on projects throughout the chain of the electricity sector that foster sustainable development, focusing on clean energy and job generation. In the first half of 2021, the company invested R$ 3.5 billion, an increase of 51% compared to the same period last year, for the advancement of its transmission and wind power undertakings. In transmission alone, Capex grew 63%. From January to June, the company allocated R$ 986 million to the segment, R$ 380 million above the amount applied in the first half of 2020.

In June, the company energized the first stretch of the Santa Luzia project (PB), acquired in lot 6 of the auction held by the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) in December 2017. The Santa Luzia II substation and a stage of the line, 124 kilometers long, were delivered, representing 40% of the RAP (Allowed Annual Revenue). The undertaking, inaugurated 21 months ahead of the regulatory agency's contractual deadline, will contribute to the flow of clean energy generation in the region, where the company already has three wind farms in operation, is building another 15 in the Chafariz complex, and is implementing two solar plants, Luzia. The last stretch is planned for the second half of 2021.

Neoenergia also plans to energize the Jalapão project by the end of the year, which was awarded in lot 4 of the same auction. With a length of 728.5 kilometers, crossing 19 municipalities in the states of Tocantins, Piauí, Bahia and Maranhão, this will be the largest line in operation by the company - behind only to the Morro do Chapéu undertaking (BA, MG and ES), acquired in the December 2020 auction, which will have 1,091 kilometers and is in the development phase.

In addition, Neoenergia made important advances in the works of the last stretch under construction of the Dourados lot (lot 4 of the April 2017 auction), in Mato Grosso do Sul. The first three stages were delivered in the second half of 2020, up to 24 months ahead of Aneel's deadline. In April, the fourth stretch was energized between Campo Grande 2 and Imbirissu substations. Adding up all the deliveries, the implementation of 413 of the 578 kilometers foreseen in the undertaking has already been completed.

In May, the company began construction of the Rio Formoso (BA) project, acquired on lot 9 of auction 002/2019. Lots 1(Vale do Itajaí, in Santa Catarina and Paraná), 2 (Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro), 3 (Itabapoana, between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais) and 14 (Lagoa dos Patos, between Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina), are in the process of environmental licensing and works, all of which were auctioned in December 2018.

Investments in distribution networks also grew in the first half of 2021. The Capex of the five concessionaires - Coelba (BA), Celpe (PE), Cosern (RN), Elektro (SP and MS) and Neoenergia Distribuição Brasília (DF) - was R$ 1.8 billion, of which R$1.2 billion was allocated to grid expansion, which includes, among other services, the installation of new connections and the construction of substations and distribution grids. The investments also go to asset renewal, improvements and actions to combat losses and delinquency.

Considering all the companies, Neoenergia recorded a high collection index in the second quarter of 2021, with a percentage of 97.88%. From April to June this year, Coelba presented the third consecutive quarter of reduction in the index of total losses 12 months (percentage that calculates the ratio between injected energy and billed energy, accumulated over 12 months) and Celpe had two consecutive months of reduction in the indicator. Cosern and Elektro remain within the regulatory limits.​