Brazil: ANEEL revokes permits for 178 solar and wind plants totaling 7.8 GW, freeing up transmission grid capacity

The National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL) revoked the authorizations for 178 solar and wind power plants in Brazil, totaling approximately 7.8 gigawatts (GW) of capacity. The decision was published in the Official Gazette of the Union on November 3, 2026, and mandates the termination of transmission contracts associated with these projects.

The measure also paves the way for the release of 7.68 GW of contracted transmission capacity, which may be made available to new generation projects. The release will depend on the termination of the contracts and the technical conditions of the system.

The decision was formalized by Dispatch No. 3,585/2026, signed on October 28, and is part of the regulatory mechanism known in the sector as Forgiveness Day 2.

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According to a statement published by ANEEL on November 3, the procedure allows companies to withdraw from authorized projects and terminate transmission commitments without the application of the termination fees stipulated in conventional rules, provided that they meet the criteria established by the agency.

The revocation affects 169 solar power plants and nine wind farms

Of the 178 projects covered by the decision, 169 are solar photovoltaic plants and nine are wind projects.

According to pv magazine Brasil, the solar units represent approximately 7.46 GW of capacity, while the wind projects total around 378 megawatts (MW).

These figures represent the capacity associated with the authorized projects. The revocation does not mean that Brazil has lost 7.8 GW of generation that was already producing electricity and supplying consumers.

The decision applies to projects that participated in an exceptional procedure to terminate authorizations and contracts linked to the transmission grid.

The order also directs the National Operator of the Electric System (ONS) to terminate the respective Transmission System Use Contracts (CUST).

These contracts establish the conditions under which a plant may use transmission infrastructure and deliver the electricity it produces to the interconnected system.

The procedure is part of a broader initiative. According to documentation cited by pv magazine Brasil, 223 plants applied to join the mechanism, but the decision published in November covers 178 projects.

Understand Day of Forgiveness 2 and why ANEEL created the measure

The so-called “Day of Forgiveness 2” is an exceptional mechanism established by Regulatory Resolution No. 1,157/2026, approved by ANEEL in June of this year.

The initiative allows holders of power generation authorizations to request the cancellation of their projects and the termination of transmission use contracts, subject to certain regulatory requirements.

Under normal conditions, the early termination of these contracts may result in termination fees. The exceptional mechanism waives such charges in cases that fall within the scope of the regulation.

The regulation also provides for the return of performance guarantees, where applicable, and specific treatment for penalties related to delays in achieving commercial operation.

To participate, project developers had to meet requirements reviewed by ONS and ANEEL. These included compliance with sectoral obligations and the absence of active energy sales contracts in the Regulated Contracting Environment, in accordance with the established conditions.

The model aims to address a recurring issue in the power sector: authorized projects that maintain contracted transmission capacity, even though their implementation has not progressed.

When these reservations remain tied to projects that will not be executed, they can restrict the contractual space available for other initiatives interested in accessing the grid.

What do the 7.68 GW of transmission capacity that could be released represent

One of the main effects of the decision involves the 7.68 GW of Transmission System Usage Amount (MUST) contracted by the projects.

This indicator represents the capacity to use the electric infrastructure contractually reserved by the plants, and not the amount of electricity they would be producing.

With the termination of the CUST, the amounts associated with the projects cease to remain committed to these contracts.

The measure may facilitate access for other generation projects, especially in regions where transmission availability represents a limitation to the connection of new plants.

However, this does not mean that all contracted capacity will become immediately usable at any point in the system.

Effective availability will depend on the characteristics and technical conditions of the grid, including the location of the interested projects and the possibility of energy evacuation.

In the bulletin of November 4, GESEL/UFRJ highlighted that the future use of this margin will be subject to the technical conditions of the electric infrastructure.

This distinction is important because the contractual capacity returned by a plant does not necessarily correspond to a connection space automatically available to another.

ONS to terminate contracts to enable new grid connections

Following the publication of the dispatch, the National Operator of the Electric System (ONS) will be responsible for executing the termination of the contracts related to the affected projects.

The ANEEL decision identifies the revoked authorizations and mandates the closure of the corresponding CUST (Transmission Use Cost) entries, as detailed in the 17 annexes of the administrative act.

Upon the completion of this stage, the previously contracted capacity may be considered in the evaluation processes for new transmission access requests.

Parties interested in connecting other projects will remain subject to the applicable rules, technical studies, and infrastructure availability conditions.

This measure does not also constitute an automatic authorization for the construction of new power plants. Each project must comply with regulatory requirements and the necessary procedures for grid connection.

For companies in the sector, the outcome may alter the planning of new investments, particularly in areas where the contracting of transmission services constitutes a critical step for the feasibility of solar and wind projects.

The decision is linked to administrative proceeding No. 48500.024506/2026-47. The individual identification of the plants and their respective owners is detailed in the annexes of Dispatch No. 3,585/2026.

The next step will be the execution of the contract terminations by ONS and the assessment of the technical conditions for the returned contracted capacity to be considered in future applications for access to the transmission grid.