About the project

The west portion of the state of Para bathed by the basin of the Tapajós river is one the most preserved areas in Brazil. It is the Centre of the Brazilian Amazon kept by many reservations, parks, national forests and of indigenous territories in many locations. It is the only river among the large affluent of the Amazons River which stills runs without any hydro-electric dam or dams built to ease navigation.

But while local population and traditional populations see the standing forest as a solution for sustainability and wealth, large companies and international groups see it only as an opportunity to reach great profits. At each shopped down, burned or flooded tree, they accumulate fortunes while they leave their trail of destruction and misery for today and future generation.

One of the great opportunities to gain much money in this region is the building of hydro-power dams. And therefore, large companies, with full support of the Brazilian state are planning the building of a conjunct of dams on the Tapajós basin, which may flood a surface similar to that of the city of São Paulo. It is planned to build hydroelectric power plants on the Tapajós Complex at the Cachoeira do Caí (802 MW), Jamanxim (881 MW), Cachoeira dos Patos (528 MW), Chacorão (3,336 MW), Golden Garden (227 MW) Jatoba (2,338 MW) and São Luiz do Tapajós (3,369 MW).

In relation to the dam of São Luiz do Tapajós:

River: Tapajós

Municipalities: Itaituba (PA) e Trairão (PA)

State: Para

Region: North of Brazil

Companies which are supporting financially the studies on the viability of the project: Camargo, Correa, Cemig, Copel, EDF, Endesa Brasil,GDF, SUEZ, Neoenergia, Eletrobras and Eletronorte

Estimated Capacity: 6. 133 MW

Estimated Steady Electricity: 3.369 MW average

Total area of the reservoir: 722 Km²

Current area of the river channel of Tapajós overflowed: 392 Km²

Indigenous areas, traditional communities and forests which will be flooded with the project: 330 Km²

Year of starting of operation: the production of power is estimated in 2021

Total Costs: Estimated in R$ 23 billions, by the Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (EPE) (Company of Energetic Research)

Financial Agencies involved: Banco Nacional do Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES)