The Brazilian government has agreed to build four new hydropower stations and include them in the national investment partnership plan. According to reports, the four hydropower projects are BEM querer, 650 MW, castanheira, 140 MW, Telemaco Borba, 118 MW and tabajara, 430 MW. At present, these hydropower stations have been approved for environmental permit study.

BEM querer, located in the Amazon River in Roraima, is considered essential for Brazil’s energy security. Roraima is the only state not yet connected to the country’s main power grid (SIN). BEM querer will have a transmission line to the sin, which the government sees as a necessary domestic power station to reduce the region’s dependence on energy imports.

However, in the most environmentally friendly area of Brazil, the Amazon rainforest, BEM querer is a potential target of environmental organizations. An analysis of the project by the House of Lords in 2007 showed that it could have a negative impact on areas occupied by indigenous people.

Also located in the Amazon is tabajara hydropower station in rodonia, which may affect cities, protected areas, land and indigenous people, including communities living by rivers and fishermen. The federal prosecutor’s Office (MPF) estimates that the plant will affect 28 indigenous communities with more than 72000 people.

The other two projects are less geographically controversial. The castanheira hydropower station on the atlinos River in matogrosso state is not close to any land, and the construction works will be carried out together with the environmental plan to protect and reduce the impact on animals and plants, plants, fish and water quality. It will also provide social programmes to mitigate the impact on the population in the city.

The Telemaco Borba hydropower station on the tibagi River in Parana is far away from environmentally sensitive areas, where small-scale mining is the only activity likely to be negatively affected.

(Source: Cable Network)