Bento Albuquerque of MME, was present yesterday, 25, at the signing ceremony of the concession contracts for the construction of new power transmission lines, from North to South of Brazil. The event, which took place in the Planalto Palace, was attended by President Jair Bolsonaro, the director general of the National Electric Energy Agency - Aneel, André Pepitone, among other authorities related to the sector.

The projects, which will generate investments of R$ 13.2 billion, will be carried out in the states of Amazonas, Amapá, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Santa Catarina, São Paulo and Tocantins. The works, which will generate 28,000 direct jobs, will allow the construction of 55 transmission lines, with 7,152 km of extension, and about 14,500 MVA of substation power.

On the occasion, Minister Bento Albuquerque pointed out that the Brazilian transmission system has about 146 thousand km of lines and that the energy sector will invest R$ 1.8 trillion in the next ten years, of which R$ 1.4 trillion in the segment of oil and gas, R$ 400 billion in electric power projects until 2027 and, in mining, R$ 80 billion by 2022. From 2019 to 2027, an increase of 5,900 km of new lines and of 8,500 MVA / year of power.

"The result of this event is an unequivocal demonstration that the attraction of investments in the electric sector is on the right track, and it gives us our recognition of the relevant performance achieved," said the minister. Bento Albuquerque highlighted the need for other achievements to ensure the country's growth trajectory in line with the aspirations and needs of the population. "We will need to leverage our ability to deliver, build trust, credibility and partnership with private investors by providing evidence that we are a safe and promising option for long-term investments," he said.

"We have worked with determination and effectiveness," he added, "to fulfill the intractable commitment to meet the three highest priorities of the ministry: governance, legal and regulatory security, and predictability."

"We have, therefore - the minister concluded - the duty to build a development scenario with the rationality and zeal indispensable to environmental, social and economic sustainability, so as to provide significant advances for present generations, without, however, even touching any risk to future generations. Mission that can only be fulfilled with the necessary and primordial partnerships with the constituted powers and with all the nuclei of the society ".

The winning companies will be entitled to receive the Annual Revenue Allowance (RAP) for the provision of the service from the commercial operation of the ventures. The term of the works varies from 48 to 60 months and the concessions of 30 years are valid from the signing of the contracts.