Belo Monte Dam Profile

Location

Countries: Brasil
Basins: Xingu
Rivers: Xingu

Project Information

Capacity: 11,233 MW
Flooded Area: 668 Km2
Affected People (official): 20,000
Cost: US$ 19.0 billion
Operational Status: Planned
Companies Involved: Alstom Hydro Energia Brasil Ltda. / Andrade Gutierrez / Camargo Corrêa / Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras S/A (Eletrobrás) / Companhia Hidro Elétrica do São Francisco (Chesf) / Construtora OAS Ltda. / Construtora Queiroz Galvão S/A / Gaia Energia e Participações S/A / Galvão Engenharia S/A / J. Malucelli Construtora de Obras S/A / Odebrecht Investimentos em Infra-estrutura Ltda. / Centrais Elétricas do Norte do Brasil S/A (Eletronorte) / Contern Construções e Comércio Ltda. / J. Malucelli Energia S/A / Caixa FI Cevix / Bolzano Participações / Petros / Funcef / Siderúrgica Norte Brasil S/A (Sinobrás) / Serveng-Civilsan S/A / Mendes Junior Trading Engenharia S/A / Cetenco Engenharia S/A / Andritz / Voith Siemens / Impsa

More Information

General characteristics:

Belo Monte is designed to be the largest plant entirely in Brazil and would be the world’s third-largest hydroelectric project. Studies for the hydroelectric site began in the 1970s.

Companies:

The Norte Energia consortium, winner of the auction of the plant, has the following shareholders: 

  • Centrais Elétricas do Norte do Brasil S/A (Eletronorte), with 19,98%;
  • Companhia Hidro Elétrica do São Francisco (Chesf), with 15%;
  • Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras S/A (Eletrobrás), with 15%;
  • Petros (pension fund of state-controlled oil company Petrobras), with 10%;
  • Bolzano Participações (fund formed by Previ in partnership with the Spanish group Iberdrola), with 10%;
  • Gaia Energia e Participações, with 9%;
  • Caixa FI Cevix, with 5%;
  • Construtora Queiroz Galvão S/A, with 2,51%;
  • Construtora OAS, with 2,51%;
  • Funcef (pension fund), with 2,5% 
  • Cetenco Engenharia S/A, with 1,25%;
  • Galvão Engenharia S/A, with 1,25%;
  • Mendes Junior Trading Engenharia S/A, with 1,25%;
  • Serveng-Civilsan S/A, with 1,25%; 
  • Contern Construções e Comércio Ltda, with 1,25%.
  • J Malucelli Construtora de Obras S/A, with 1%;
  • Siderúrgica Norte Brasil S/A (Sinobrás), with 1%;
  • J Malucelli Energia S/A, with 0,25%.

Timeline:

The Federal Government  expects that the dam will start its operations in 2015.

Other dams:

In addition to Belo Monte, the last inventory of the energy potential of the Xingu River indicates the possibility of building three other dams: Altamira (1848 MW), Pombal (805 MW) and São Félix (906 MW). In July 2008, Resolution No. 6 of the National Energy Policy Advice (CNPE) stated that Belo Monte will be the only power plant to be built on the Xingu River.

Indigenous People affected:

  • Yudjá (Paquiçamba Indigenous Land - direct impact).
  • Arara (Arara da Volta Grande Indigenous Land - direct impact -, Cachoeira Seca Indigenous Land e Arara Indigenous Land).
  • Jurunas do km 17 (direct impact).
  • Asurini do Xingu (Koatinemo Indigenous Land).
  • Araweté (Arawete do Ipixuna Indigenous Land).
  • Parakanã (Apyterewa Indigenous Land).
  • Kararaô (Kararaô Indigenous Land).
  • Kayapós.
  • Urban indigenous people. 

Protected areas affected:

Homes and harbors considered as historic sites in Altamira (PA).

Archaeological sites:

210 archaeological sites in the process of identification in the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam area.

Environmental licensing:

The temporary environmental license for the installation of the Belo Monte plant was granted in February 2010.

Sigourney Weaver Narrates Google Earth Tour of Belo Monte Dam. Tour graphically shows impacts of Belo Monte and 60 other dams planned for Amazon:

Links:

Source:

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