(Bloomberg) -- Brazilian companies dominated a power-line auction as the country seeks to expand infrastructure to connect renewable plants to the country’s largest consumer markets.

Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A., Fundo Warehouse — a fund owned by BTG Pactual — and Energisa SA were among companies that won contracts to build transmission lines across the country. 

The auction is expected to spur 18.2 billion reais ($3.6 billion) in investment for power lines crossing 14 states, which will need to be completed in up to six years. As many as 35,000 jobs are expected to be created as a result. 

Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A., known as Eletrobras, won four lots, with planned investments of about 5.6 billion reais, while Fundo Warehouse got three lots and will invest 6.5 billion reais. 

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“The low level of foreign participation can be explained by the engagement of international companies in past auctions,” said Agnes Maria da Costa, director at Brazil’s electricity regulator. “The diverse range of lots attracted companies with different profiles to the event.”

New power lines will be needed to sustain the country’s push for renewable energy. Brazil was the third-largest solar market in the world in 2023, when it installed some 17 gigawatts of modules, according to BloombergNEF. The country also has the world’s best wind resources, which have overtaken natural gas as its second-largest source of power capacity. 

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