Bioenergy Aratua & Miassaba Wind Farms

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The Brazilian company Bioenergy was granted authorizations to build six wind parks located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (115.5 MW in total capacity). The 35-year contracts were signed with the regulatory agency ANEEL starting in June 2009. The following special purpose companies were creates to handle the parks: Aratua Central Geradora Eolica S.A., Brasventos Aratua 1 Geradora de Energia S.A and Miassaba Geradora Eolica S.A. The power plants were named EOL Aratua 1 (14.4 MW), EOL Aratua 2 (14.7 MW), EOL Aratua 3 (28.8 MW), Miassaba 2 (14.4 MW), Miassaba 3 (14.4 MW) and Miassaba 4 (28.8 MW). The total investment in the power plants Aratua 1 and Miassaba 3 were estimated at US$ 69.6 million (BRL 117 million) and was financed with a loan granted by the state-owned development bank BNDES approved in September 2011 (US$ 44.1 million or BRL 74.2 million) and with the emission of bonds by Bioenergy. As of August 2011, construction works only on these two plants were underway. In 2009, EOL Aratua 1 and EOL Miassaba 3 signed power purchase agreements arranged with the state-owned company Eletrobras for 20 years through the Brazilian Federal program PROINFA (incentive program for alternative power generating companies) or established through competitive bidding processes. Operations commenced in early 2012. http://www.bnamericas.com/news/electricpower/bioenergy-begins-operations-at-us695mn-wind-farms (for changed total project cost)