Initiative will integrate the company into the National Interconnected System, thus bolstering its commitment to global carbon targets
Committed to sustainable mining practices in the Amazon, Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) this week obtained the Installation License (IL) for the Transmission Line Project, whch will integrate the company into the National Interconnected System. By adhering to a more sustainable electricity matrix, MRN expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 90% in power generation, which represents approximately a 20% reduction in the company's carbon footprint as of 2027, thus securing a more efficient and sustainable operation. The implementation phase of the project is expected to generate around 500 new temporary jobs during construction.
The 98-km long project runs from the substation in Oriximiná to the future Saracá substation, within the MRN site in the Porto Trombetas district. MRN's Project Implementation Director, Leonardo Paiva, explains that the initiative is the company's main energy transition project, which is aligned with its long-term planning and commitment to environmental sustainability. “This electricity matrix change represents a strategic move for MRN and a legacy for the region. We are officially adhering to global targets by reducing our carbon footprint and promoting local sustainable development,” he says.
Operating the project
The development of MRN's new electricity matrix meets the future demands of the West Zone Program. In practice, the 230 kV power transmission system will connect the company's industrial facilities in Porto Trombetas, in the municipality of Oriximiná, to the SIN's basic network, via a single circuit, approximately 98 km long. The route has 34 vertices, including 218 metal towers, with technical, economic and socio-environmental benefits in mind. The project study was carried out in two parts, considering the normal stretch and the Trombetas River crossing stretch, due to the particularities of each.
Operational continuity
The Transmission Line is part of MRN's operational continuity strategy in the region. Today, with a preliminary license issued by IBAMA, the New Mines Project will allow MRN to invest approximately R$5 billion over the next five years, adding more sustainability to the aluminum chain, used on a large scale for essential segments such as energy, transport, construction, packaging, among others. The project will be essential for the company to continue its operations in western of Pará by maintaining an average production of 12.5 million tons of bauxite per year.