The ONS has established the guidelines and a minimum premium of R$ 0.38/kW for transmission capacity auctions aimed at data centers and new energy projects.
The Brazilian electricity sector is advancing toward new models of competition for grid capacity.
The National Electric System Operator has released the set of rules that will govern the competitive processes for the first access season of 2026.
The measure gains relevance amid the race by major consumers, such as data centers, for adequate energy infrastructure.
With the volume of requests exceeding immediate availability at strategic points, the role of the ONS is becoming fundamental in organizing access to the national power grid.
The established format seeks to provide transparency and legal security for the allocation of loads and new power plants, balancing technological growth with the stability of the clean energy system.
Auction dynamics and bidding rules
The competition for the use of the transmission network will take place through timed ten-minute rounds with sealed bids.
Participants must submit financial bids in reals per kilowatt, respecting the mandatory floor of R$ 0.38/kW.
This minimum value represents ten percent of the lowest Tust (Transmission Use of System Tariff) identified among the eligible buses in the season.
The guidelines detail that the digital platform will receive the submissions confidentially, preventing competitors from tracking values in real time.
In the event of ties that affect capacity distribution, up to three additional bidding rounds are scheduled, requiring minimum percentage increases over the previous proposal to determine the winners.
The competitive process is triggered when the remaining transmission capacity is not sufficient to meet all authorized agents competing for the same grid resource.
Impact for large consumers and next steps
The initial analysis phase by the ONS demonstrated robust market appetite, with dozens of gigawatts in evaluated requests and a significant portion enabled during the regulatory transition.
Currently, the main focus falls on high-demand points in the state of São Paulo, where the concentration of digital infrastructure projects requires strict management in distributing remaining resources.
Payment of the winning premium is an essential condition for issuing the preliminary diagnostic and ensuring the continuity of projects.
With these guidelines, the energy market is preparing for a more competitive business environment, shaping the future of technological expansion and electrical infrastructure in the country.
