GE-Powered Port of Sergipe I Complex Delivers Uninterrupted Electricity since July to Support Renewables in Brazil

Flexible and efficient natural gas fired plant enables Brazil to increase its energy security while continuing to expand its development of renewable energy resources, including solar, wind in addition to compensating the seasonal reduction of hydro power
The 1.5-Gigawatt CELSE – Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe S.A’s Port of Sergipe I Complex is currently the largest gas power plant in operation in Latin America and may provide for up to 15% of energy consumption in northeastern Brazil
Port of Sergipe I is GE’s second H-Class turnkey combined cycle power plant in Latin America

BRAZIL, December 9, 2021 — GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that CELSE – Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe S.A (CELSE) ‘s Port of Sergipe I Complex has been providing uninterrupted electricity since July 2021 to help the electrical system respond to changes in demand and weather including seasonal drought. Port of Sergipe I, powered by three of GE’s highly efficient and flexible 7HA.02 gas turbines andGE’s second H-Class turnkey combined cycle plant in Latin America, is the largest combined cycle, gas-fired power plant in operation in the region and can meet on average up to 15% of the northeastern Brazil’s electricity demand.

The plant plays a strategic role in supporting renewable energy growth in Brazil, which also relies on significant amounts of hydroelectric power generation. Occupying more than 200,000 square meters near the coastline, Port of Sergipe I Complex has helped to support capacity and to compensate for reduced hydroelectric power during this year’s lower-than-expected rainy season. As a result of the drought, Brazil had lost hydropower output equal to the energy consumed by the city of Rio de Janeiro in just five months.

“Port of Sergipe I Complex project represents a milestone for Brazil, adding to the system a large-capacity plant that operates in a safer, more reliable, flexible, and efficient way, which brings stability to the country’s electricity matrix and helps to reduce the risk of rationing and/or blackouts,” said Glauco Maximiano de Campos, CEO of CELSE.

GE provided full engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the gas power plant and grid construction, as well as associated grid interconnection systems. in addition to controls software and analytics and service agreements.

“GE has delivered the highest standard of quality in building this entire power plant. They have supplied the advanced power generation and transmission equipment, as well as a comprehensive financial solution package, delivering 1.5-gigawatts (GW) of capacity to the Brazilian grid”, said Edio José Rodenheber, CIO of CELSE.

The plant features all equipment supplied by GE: three 7HA.02 gas turbines powering three H65 generators, a STG-D650 steam turbine powering a W90 generator, three Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG) which are triple pressure reheat drum and auxiliary installations, such as cooling towers. GE also built the infrastructure needed to transport the energy produced by CELSE to the Brazilian interconnected system: 33 kilometers of overhead power lines and a 500kv substation that steps up the power into high voltages for long-distance transmission.

“The scope and nature of this project are extraordinary,” said Eric Gray, President of GE Gas Power in the Americas region. “GE built not just the power plant but also the infrastructure to enable lower dispatch costs and reliable connection from the power plant to the interconnected power grid, making the electricity generated by Sergipe plant available not only in the northeastern region, but also almost anywhere in the country. Our services and digital solutions proved to be crucial to the plant’s performance and availability.”

Sergipe power plant reaps the benefits of a 25-year Operations and Maintenance (O&M) service agreement including repairs and scheduled maintenance on gas and steam turbines, auxiliary components, generators and control systems. In addition, GE Digital’s Remote Operations, Asset Performance Management, Operations Optimization; and Cybersecurity Digital Solutions seek to predict and potentially reduce unplanned downtime, and improve power plant productivity. GE’s software solutions provide direct support to the GE O&M team in the plant’s operation.

GE has a longstanding presence with more than 100 years in Brazil. GE equipment helps power approximately 30% of the energy produced in Brazil and about one-third of all energy generated throughout Latin America.

About CELSE
CELSE – Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe S.A. is a company indirectly controlled by EBRASIL – Eletricidade do Brasil and by New Fortress Energy. The thermal plant, installed in the State of Sergipe in an area of 130 ha, in the Municipality of Barra dos Coqueiros, has an installed capacity of 1.554 MW. CELSE participated in the Energy Auction A-5 on April 05, 2015 and has executed 26 agreements for the sale of electric energy starting in January 2020.

About GE Gas Power
GE Gas Power is a world leader in natural gas power technology, services, and solutions. Through relentless innovation and continuous partnership with our customers, we are providing more advanced, cleaner and efficient power that people depend on today and building the energy technologies of the future. With the world’s largest installed base of gas turbines and more than 670 million operating hours across GE’s installed fleet, we offer advanced technology and a level of experience that’s unmatched in the industry to build, operate, and maintain leading gas power plants. For more information, please visit www.ge.com/power/gas and follow GE’s gas power businesses on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.gepower.com. Follow GE Power on Twitter @GE_Power and on LinkedIn at GE Power.