News

513 Power Projects Under Development in Latin America
Breakbulk Staff | Fri, 07/16/2010 - 19:01
Breakbulk Online - News Story
Project Cargo + Heavy-Lift| South America| Central America
Latin American utilities and municipalities are currently developing 513 power generation projects that will cost a total of US$230 billion, according to the latest Power Tracker report published by Industrial Info Resources, a market research group.

Latin America's vast natural resources and growing GDP are driving the next phase of development in the region, says the report. With Brazil, the leading economy in Latin America, growing at a pace of 9 percent in the first quarter of 2010, the demand for new and updated sources of electricity “will be astounding.”

In all, more than 183 gigawatts of new power generation units are currently being evaluated in Latin America to meet the growing power requirements of the region, all the way from Mexico through Central and South America.

Because of South America's vast river systems, hydroelectric generation will be a major source for new power generation on that continent. More than 800 hydroelectric power units are currently under development, representing about 85 gigawatts of power, says the report. In a notable example,
Brazil intends to construct the Tapajós hydropower complex as part of the country's 2019 Energy Expansion Decennial Plan. That project alone would require investments of US$53.9 billion in hydropower generation projects.

Trailing hydroelectric power, the second most important energy source for Latin America will be natural gas, where almost 300 units are planned, contributing a total of 27 gigawatts of power. Coal ranks third as a power source, with 75 units planned, totaling almost 20 gigawatts. Other important projects will develop wind, solar and other sources of energy.