WEG successfully completes replacement works for the step-up transformers at the Paulo Afonso IV Hydroelectric Power Plant

Eletrobras Chesf contracted WEG, through a bidding process, for the modernization of the Paulo Afonso IV Hydroelectric Power Plant located in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The plant has a production capacity of 2,462 megawatts of energy, sufficient to supply a city with over 2 million inhabitants.

WEG was responsible for supplying and installing the new step-up transformers, as well as the removal and proper disposal of the old equipment, ensuring that the entire process was carried out responsibly and sustainably, in accordance with relevant environmental regulations.

The equipment weighs over 100 tons each. The replacement involved the movement of 40 large-scale pieces of equipment and required a significant joint planning effort. All generator machine shutdowns for transformer replacement needed to be negotiated with the National System Operator (ONS) to minimize energy unavailability.

Following this pioneering and successful work, the Paulo Afonso IV Hydroelectric Power Plant has been equipped with twenty new single-phase step-up transformers, with a power rating of 150MVA each. These robust devices are designed to raise the electrical voltage from 18 kV to 500 kV, allowing for more efficient transmission, reliable and continuous delivery of energy to residences, businesses, and industries.