In 2010, Paraguay had an economic growth of approximately 15%, the highest in 20 years. To carry on this economical expansion, the country needs more power, especially to meet the demand from the industry. In order to supply more power to ANDE - Administración Nacional de Electricidad (Paraguayan Power Agency), Itaipu Binational (the largest power plant in the planet) is in the process of expanding the Right Bank Substation (Subestação Margem Direita - SEMD).

The agreement between Brazil and Paraguay, signed in 2008, establishes some expansions, buildings and reformulations in the Itaipu Binational so that Paraguay can have a greater supply of energy for domestic consumption or sale to Brazil as a surplus. Among the actions that are part of the agreement are the construction of the 500kV-Transmission Line between the Villa Hayes Substation and the Right Bank Substation by Itaipu Binational, both on the Paraguayan side, besides the additional payment for the energy not consumed by Paraguay and transferred to Brazil.

The Project

In order to meet immediate Paraguay’s energy needs, Itaipu Binational is expanding the Right Bank Substation, which has WEG’s full support. After a tender won by the company, WEG Transmission & Distribution is providing a complete bay (the physical structure where the equipment is included) with a set of autotransformer and regulator of 470 MVA – 500 kV/220 kV and associated equipment, installations, interconnections and civil work for this expansion.

This is Itaipu Binational’s most powerful regulator/transformer set installed in the Plant ever. “Therefore, they are the largest transformers ever supplied by WEG since 2008. Itaipu Binational has become a customer of large projects”, says Carlos Diether Prinz, CEO of WEG Transmission & Distribution.

The delivery of products takes place by the end of October and the work will be completed by WEG by November. WEG was able to deliver the regulator two months in advance and will deliver the autotransformer one month ahead of schedule. “To WEG, this supply is a milestone in designing and manufacturing a complex device”, says Prinz.

“The installation of this equipment is the result of studies conducted for many years that already foresaw the need of acting on the Right Bank with five transformer/regulator sets and an extra set in order to supply the growing demand from Paraguay via an ANDE system of 220kV”, explains Jorge Habib Hanna El Khouri, engineering superintendent at Itaipu Binational. “The Right Bank Substation expansion benefits ANDE directly, since it provides a reliable mechanism to give support to the growth of Paraguay”, he adds.

Supply numbers

- The supplied regulator weighs 140,000 kg, and the 470-MVA autotransformer, 298,000 kg. Together, they add up to 438,000 kg

- Autotransformer size: 12.9-m high, 8-m wide and 20.5-m in long. The volume of oil used is 95,100 liters.

- WEG’s plant in Blumenau is 800 km away from Foz do Iguaçu City, where Itaipu Binational is located. It will take 30 days to transport the products.

- Since the confirmation of the order, the process will have consumed 10 months for the shipment of the regulator and 12 months for the shipment of the autotransformer.