Omexom Brazil is carrying out a large-scale modernisation of the Amador Aguiar I and II hydroelectric power plants following the signing of an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with the Capim Branco Energia Consortium (CCBE) in January 2025.
The two facilities, which together have an installed capacity of 450MW, are undergoing upgrades to their protection, control and instrumentation systems. The programme is intended to reduce downtime, address recurring operational issues and improve long-term reliability and performance. According to the companies, it represents the largest hydroelectric modernisation project currently under way in Brazil in terms of technical scope and financial value.
The works include the implementation of new automation and protection systems for all three generating units at each plant, along with upgrades to spillways, auxiliary services and substations. The decision to proceed followed a detailed root-cause analysis of repeated generation stoppages linked to system failures. Based on this assessment, CCBE selected Omexom to deliver updated technical solutions and engineering-driven applications.
The new automation system will manage start-up and shutdown procedures, oversee generating unit operations, control auxiliary systems and automate water intake and spillway functions. The platform comprises two operation servers, two history servers, 32 PLCs, 25 local HMIs and 40 network switches, forming an integrated supervision and control environment. The objective is to improve plant responsiveness while providing operators with more accurate and timely operational data.
Electrical protection systems are also being reinforced. All six generators, rated at approximately 80MW each, and six transformers of around 100MVA, as well as short transmission lines and 138 kV transmission lines, are being equipped with new protection systems. A total of 50 intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) will be installed to enhance electrical safety, accelerate fault detection and support grid stability across both sites.
A central feature of the project is the redesign of the instrumentation systems using IO-Link network technology, a communication standard not widely deployed in Brazilian hydropower plants.
“The innovation in this project is concentrated in the instrumentation. It represents a significant change in how we manage instrumentation across our network. It introduces automation and a new solution for a hydroelectric power plant,” said André Xaia, Project Manager at Omexom in Brazil.
More than 1300 new instruments, including pressure, temperature, flow and position transmitters, will be integrated into a unified network incorporating IO-Link masters, valves, air vents and condensate drains. The companies state that the new architecture is expected to improve diagnostics, data quality and overall operational performance. The electrical upgrade also includes the installation of 57 self-supporting columns and more than 150 new control and instrumentation panels.
The project is scheduled to run over four years. Design activities began in 2025, with assembly and commissioning set to start in February 2026. Modernisation will be implemented on one generating unit per plant each year, allowing both facilities to remain in operation during the works.
Environmental considerations are also being incorporated into the programme, including the use of electric vehicles on site to reduce CO₂ emissions.
Omexom Brazil and CCBE have collaborated for several years across the consortium’s hydropower portfolio, and both companies describe the project as part of a broader effort to strengthen asset performance and support the decarbonisation of Brazil’s electricity mix.
