Use of water

Neoenergia is committed to the increasingly responsible use of this resource.

Water is a basic and irreplaceable natural resource for carrying out many of the activities carried out by Neoenergia. Aware of this dependence and the risks derived from water scarcity, the company is committed to the increasingly responsible use of this resource. Its main actions involve

Continuously improve plant processes, for lower consumption and impact;

Implement and control the legally required ecological flows for hydroelectric power plant reservoirs;

Carry out awareness campaigns among employees to achieve a more efficient and responsible use of water in offices.

Collection, disposal and consumption

To avoid waste and reduce water consumption, the company performs actions such as:

Purchase of crockery and metals with flow reducers for your administrative buildings;

Installation of rainwater reuse systems in units preferably located in water stress zones. The application of these systems is aimed at the use of alternative sources of collection and sustainable use of water.

The company has an ESG Goal established for the preservation of this resource: the installed capacity of reused water, with targets set for 2025 (7.5 million liters (ML) /year) and 2030 (10 mL/year), considering the administrative units of the distributors.

Water cycle in thermoelectric power generation

The water cycle required for thermoelectric generation is based on the following steps:

Collection: In the case of fresh water used for the plant's production process and for auxiliary/administrative services, the collection is carried out within the limits established in a contract with a sanitation company in the state of Pernambuco, both in terms of quantity and quality of the water.

The collection of seawater is carried out for the process of cooling (condensation) of the steam coming from the boilers after its passage through the steam turbine and also for the cooling of the effluent that captures heat from the plant's equipment.

Use: Use in steam condensation and refrigeration services of plant aids.

Return to the environment: The quality of the liquid effluent discharge is monitored and has always been within the limits required by current laws, seeking its improvement even with regard to

the collected water parameters.

The total water consumption at all Neoenergia companies, considered as the difference between the total water collected from the different sources (fresh and salt), either for energy generation or for human consumption, and the water returned to the medium, is shown in the following table, which divides our total water extraction by sources.

In 2023, 99.95% of the water collected in the thermoelectric generation facilities returned to the environment after being used to cool (condense) the steam from the boilers, after its passage through the turbine and the effluent that collects heat from the plant's auxiliary equipment.

Water cycle in hydroelectric generation

The water used for the generation of hydraulic energy is not considered as consumption and, therefore, is analyzed separately. All Neoenergia hydroelectric power plants (UHE) are considered to be a water wire, with no change in the volume of water in the reservoirs.

CDP Water Security

Neoenergia has voluntarily responded to the CDP Water Security notebook since 2022, giving transparency to its water governance and management. Through the questionnaires submitted to the CDP, the company shares its robust corporate governance structure, risks and opportunities, materials, and even the investment base, all guided by its Environmental and Climate Action Policies