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%;
• Neoenergia (fund formed by Previ in partnership with the Spanish group Iberdrola), with 10%;
• Cemig and Light, with 9.77%;
• Vale, with 9%;
• Caixa FI Cevix, with 5%;
• Funcef (pension fund), with 5% 
• Siderúrgica Norte Brasil S/A (Sinobrás), with 1%;
• J Malucelli Energia S/A, with 0,25%.

The Consórcio Construtora Belo Monte (CCBM), construction consortium contracted by Norte Energia to build Belo Monte, consists of the following companies:

• Andrade Gutierrez;
• Camargo Corrêa;
• Odebrecht;
• Queiroz Galvão;
• OAS;
• Contern;
• Serveng;
• J. Malucelli;
• Cetenco.

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:

• Watch the video
• Download the Google Earth Tour

Links:

• Critical Analysis of the Environmental Impact Study of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric
• Xingu Forever Alive
• International Rivers: Belo Monte Campaign
• Amazon Watch: Belo Monte Campaign
• ISA Social and Environmental Institute Special Reports on Belo Monte
• Xingu Encounter - Altamira, Brazil
• Letter to President Lula Demands Cancellation of Massive Hydroelectric Project
• Belo Monte fact sheet

Source:

• Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica (Aneel)
• Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (Ibama)
• Estudo de Impacto Ambiental
• BankTrack