COPEL (Companhia Paranaense de Energia) has awarded ANDRITZ two turnkey contracts for the supply and commissioning of additional generating units at the Foz do Areia and Segredo hydropower plants on the Iguaçu River in Paraná, Brazil.
The combined order value is in the mid three-digit million-euro range and was included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for the first quarter of 2026.
The expansion will add more than 2.1GW of new capacity to the two hydropower plants, which currently have a combined output of 2.9GW. COPEL’s total installed capacity will increase from 6.2GW to 8.3GW, representing a 34% rise intended to strengthen the stability and resilience of the Brazilian electric grid and support the integration of renewable energy.
The investment forms part of contracts awarded to COPEL through Brazil’s 2nd Capacity Reserve Auction (LRCAP), a government programme designed to ensure reliable power supply. According to the companies, it represents COPEL’s largest investment in power generation in decades.
ANDRITZ’s scope of supply includes the execution and commissioning of the new generating units, including turbines, generators and related equipment.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with nearly 2,000 direct jobs expected at peak activity. The new units are planned to enter operation in 2030.
“This expansion will be a milestone in Brazil’s hydropower generation, a sector that has seen limited new projects in recent years,” said Dieter Hopf, CEO at ANDRITZ Hydropower Brazil. “It strengthens the Brazilian electric system at a critical moment in the country’s energy transition.”
The project extends the long-standing partnership between COPEL and ANDRITZ and supports Brazil’s efforts to expand reliable renewable power generation.
