Pecém complex set to house 1,572 MW thermoelectric plant by 2026

Governor Elmano de Freitas participated, on Friday morning (5), in the Pecém Complex, in another historic moment for the Brazilian state of Ceará: the laying of the cornerstone of the Thermoelectric Power Plant Portocem. This natural gas-fired plant will be installed in the Ceará Export Processing Zone (EPZ). An investment of the American company Ceiba Energy, the undertaking is worth approximately R$ 4.7 billion and represents the second-largest private investment in the state’s history, with operations expected to start in 2026.

Portocem TPP is expected to generate about 1,700 jobs during its construction phase alone. With an installed capacity of 1,572 MW, the project will be built in an area of 39.5 hectares in Sector 2 of EPZ Ceará, part of the Pecém Port Complex. For Governor Elmano de Freitas, the construction of the thermoelectric plant represents a significant milestone and places Ceará in the vanguard of the energy transition process discussed throughout Brazil.

Elmano de Freitas, along with other authorities, signed the contract for the permanent assignment of the EPZ-located area to commission the Portocem Thermoelectric Plant. The event held on May 5 also included the unveiling of the Cornerstone Launching Plaque for Portocem TPP, which will be placed at the enterprise’s site in the future.

Infrastructure

Comprising four turbine generators in a simple cycle powered by natural gas, Portocem TPP will have an 8 km transmission line connecting the plant to the SIN. This power network interconnects all of Brazil’s electric power generation and transmission lines.

The project will receive natural gas from a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), which will be chartered by Portocem and permanently moored within the sheltered area of the Port of Pecém.

The plant will provide more security to the National Interconnected System (SIN), being built to operate in moments of low water levels in the hydroelectric reservoirs, low wind speed (which harms wind generation), and low sun intensity (photovoltaic generation).

Technical data

Total area: 39.5 hectares, located in Sector 2 of ZPE Ceará Installed capacity: 1,572 MW
Duration of the work: about 3.5 years
Job creation: around 1,700 jobs in the construction phase Investment: approximately R$ 4.7 billion
Operations expected to start: July 2026
Number of turbines: 4 Mitsubishi M501JAC gas turbines in a simple cycle, fueled by natural gas

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