The auction attracted seven qualified projects totaling 451 MW of demand, demonstrating competition intensity at nearly twice the available capacity. Average bids reached approximately R$800 per kilowatt, according to the Brazilian Association of Electric Energy Transmission Companies. These revenues will be directed toward tariff reduction for consumers, establishing a direct link between transmission access monetization and retail cost mitigation.
The competitive allocation represents the final stage of the 2026 First Access Season under the National Transmission Access Policy, implemented by federal decree 12.772 in 2025. The policy restructures grid access from an open queue to periodic competitive windows, addressing mounting connection requests from data centers, green hydrogen projects, and distributed generation alongside renewable energy expansion.
Brazil’s National Electric System Operator analyzed over 43 GW in access requests during the transitional phase and first season, enabling or authorizing approximately 30.7 GW. The inaugural season registered 367 generation and consumption projects across 64 substations in the National Interconnected System, with total requests exceeding 20 GW.
ONS director-general Marcio Rea highlighted the model’s effectiveness in creating a more predictable environment for investors and system planning. The transmission association noted that while numerous countries struggle to meet computational demand through traditional grids, often resorting to local generation, Brazil’s competitive framework positions the country as a reference case. Rea was invited to present the policy results in Washington in early November at a global gathering of electric system operators.
Starting in 2027, Brazil will implement at least two access seasons annually, expanding participation opportunities. The preliminary 2027 schedule indicates registration opening in early January, with the first competitive process scheduled for May 4-6, 2027. The structured calendar aims to align transmission expansion with development needs while maintaining process transparency and technical rigor.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
