After a four-year hiatus, Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, signed a decree yesterday authorizing the import of electricity from Venezuela.
This move marks a departure from the previous administration’s 2019 decision to halt these imports.
The goal is to procure energy generated from Venezuela’s Guri hydroelectric power plant to supply the state of Roraima, which borders Venezuela and is not yet connected to the National Interconnected System.
The decree was signed in the city of Parintins, Amazonas state, during a ceremony relaunching the “Light for All” program and the Amazon decarbonization program.
The Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, highlighted the importance of this import authorization.
He stated that this move would allow the purchase of Venezuelan energy and initiate South America’s energy interconnection.
Silveira says the decree will fulfill contracts and bring clean, renewable energy from Venezuela’s Guri plant, thereby providing Roraima with inexpensive, sustainable energy.
He added that Venezuela’s energy could bolster Brazil’s energy security and even be sold to Venezuela during periods of water abundance.