BNDES approves R$50 million for Eletronet to modernize and expand fiber network and data centers

This press release was published in English using an automatic translation system

By BNDES

The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has approved financing of 50 million reais for Eletronet, a company of the Axia Energia group, to acquire OPGW (Optical Ground Wire) fiber-optic cables and equipment, which use high-voltage power transmission lines, manufactured in Brazil.

Eletronet operates an optical backbone of 18 thousand kilometers of optical fiber and 85 edge data centers spread across 18 states of Brazil. In the current expansion project, the company is expected to finish 2026 with 26 thousand kilometers of routes and 255 edge data centers in 23 states, reaching five new ones – Pará, Mato Grosso, Espírito Santo, Acre, and Rondônia. Throughout the year, it will also reinforce its routes in São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Maranhão, and Paraíba.

The resources come from the Telecommunications Technological Development Fund (Funttel), created to stimulate technological innovation, job creation, and the competitiveness of the Brazilian telecommunications industry. Last year, the Ministry of Communications approved the release of 1.5 billion reais from Funttel to finance innovation projects until 2027.

“Supporting the country’s telecommunications sector means providing tools to boost technological innovation and ensure access to high-speed internet for all Brazilians, honoring a commitment made by President Lula’s government. BNDES understands that expanding connectivity is essential for the country’s future, contributing to job creation and giving opportunities to young people entering the job market using these new tools,” says the president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante.

“Our focus is to ensure that Funttel acts as a means of fostering Brazil’s transformation into a country with greater autonomy in the fields of research, innovation, and technology. These resources will support the expansion of a robust network and strategic data centers. We want not only to connect states, but also to promote development, create jobs, and elevate the telecommunications industry to a high level of global competitiveness”, said Frederico de Siqueira Filho, minister of Communications.

Eletronet’s fiber optic network is installed using the infrastructure of high-voltage electric power transmission towers. BNDES financing will help make the sharing of power transmission infrastructure and the fiber optic network more efficient in Eletronet projects.

“The new investments will enable Eletronet to keep investing to keep pace with the evolution of the digital market, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the Internet of Things and the expansion of data centers. This scenario requires a more robust foundation, with high availability, low latency and greater operational predictability, so that the telecommunications and IT services delivered by our clients, through our infrastructure, consistently reach all Brazilians. We will seek to continue expanding our presence in connectivity, strengthening our IP transit ecosystem and reinforcing Eletronet as a neutral infrastructure and innovation hub, including through integrations with strategic markets in Latin America,” says Claudio Akihama, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Eletronet.

About Funttel – Funttel is a fund managed by the Ministry of Communications with the aim of stimulating technological innovation, training human resources, and fostering job creation. In addition, it promotes access for small and medium-sized enterprises to capital resources, increasing the competitiveness of the Brazilian telecommunications industry.

The fund provides repayable resources so that its financial agents, BNDES and Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (Finep), can grant loans to companies. The financing serves as a link between the products, services, and technological solutions developed in the country by scientific, technological, and innovation institutions (ICTs) and the demand from the productive sector. Each line of credit requires that a percentage of the financed amount be allocated to the acquisition of domestic equipment, strengthening the Brazilian technological ecosystem.

About Eletronet - Eletronet is one of Brazil’s leading optical infrastructure providers, with more than 25 years of operations in the telecommunications sector. The company operates its own network of 18 thousand kilometers of optical fiber in 18 states, in addition to 170 Edge Data Centers, and is expected to reach the end of 2026 with 26 thousand kilometers of routes in 23 states and 255 Edge Data Centers, providing broad coverage and high availability for carriers, internet service providers, data centers, and hyperscalers. Its infrastructure uses OPGW optical cables installed on electric power transmission lines, ensuring stability and redundancy. Eletronet offers data transport, IP transit, dedicated link, colocation, and connection to IXPs, supporting critical operations with performance and security. With a strong focus on innovation, Eletronet continues to expand its presence and contribute to the advancement of connectivity in the country. For more information, visit: www.eletronet.com