Neoenergia Cosern launches record R$4.1 billion power investment plan for Rio Grande do Norte

Neoenergia Cosern announced a new investment cycle of R$ 4.1 billion for the Rio Grande do Norte state covering 2026‑2030, the largest ever for the distributor. The plan marks an 81 % increase over the previous 2021‑2025 cycle and targets more than 1.6 million customers, roughly 3.3 million people. About 37 % of the funds will go to expanding the electric grid, 26 % to modernisation and digitalisation, and 36 % to loss reduction and operational infrastructure. Planned works include ten new substations, upgrades to 16 existing ones, 1,788 km of new medium‑ and high‑voltage lines, an extra 460 MVA of capacity, and underground networks in Pipa, Ponta Negra and other locations.

The regional energy outlook is reinforced by a study from the Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (EPE) that evaluates up to 4 GW of new energy‑intensive loads in Brazil’s Northeast—covering industrial electrification, electric mobility, data centres and green hydrogen. The study proposes transmission solutions, highlights the Redata framework as a trigger for data‑centre investment, and stresses water‑efficiency and telecom considerations. It also outlines new flexible‑converter technologies (VSC, SSSC) to lower system costs. Together, the private investment and the public study signal a coordinated push to boost the region’s power infrastructure and attract clean‑energy projects.