About the Dam

One of the most controversial project in progress in Brazil, the Belo Monte dam is being built on the Xingu River in the Pará State. Planned to be the largest dam in the country, after Itaipu, the Belo Monte dam will displace at least 30 000 people only at the urban area of Altamira. Scheduled to start operating in February 2015, the construction already leaves its trail of human rights violation and disrespect to traditional people and biodiversity.

The first studies for the construction of the dam in the region of Volta Grande do Xingu dates from the seventies, under military dictatorship. During decades, the project collided with the resistance of social movements, particularly of the indigenous people. Because of these ressistence, the original project, which included more than one dam and a larger area of flood, has been modified until its actual project.

Belo Monte plans the construction of its main dam on the bed of the Xingu River, 40 km from Altamira, on the called Sítio Pimental. From there a channel junction will run through 20 km to the main powerhouse on the area of Belo Monte. Because of this engineering Volta Grande do Xingu an area of 100km rich in biodiversity and wich bathes indigenous areas will have reduced its flow.

In addition to the environmental and social impacts of the project, Belo Monte is criticized for its possible low efficiency and high cost, since, despite having the ability to generate up to 11,233 MW, its average generation is expected to be around 4,571 MW due the flood regime of the Xingu.

River: Xingu

Municiple: Altamira e Vitória do Xingu (PA)

State: Pará

Region: North of Brazil

Concessionaires: Norte Energia S.A with the following shareholding structure: the state companies Eletrobras (15,00%), Chesf (15,00%) and Eletronorte (19,98%), pension funds Petros (10,00%) and Funcef (10,00%), Belo Monte Participações S.A./Neoenergia S.A.(10,00%), Amazônia/Cemig and Light (9,77%), Vale (9,00%), Sinobras (1,00%) and J.Malucelli Energia (0,25%).

Installed Capacity: 11.233 MW

Steady Electricity: 4.571 MW average

Reservoir area: 516 km²

Hight: 93 m

Number of turbines: 18 francis type at the main powerhouse and 6 bulb type at the secondary powerhouse

Auction date: 13/10/2010

Licensing stage: installation license granted

Start of operation: planned to function the first turbine in June 2015 and reach full capacity in 2019.

Estimated costs: R$ 28,9 billions

Financiers: BNDES (R$ 22,5 billions)

Construction Companies: Consórcio Construtor de Belo Monte (CCBM), formed by the contractors Andrade Gutierrez, Odebrecht, Camargo Corrêa, OAS, Queiroz Galvão, Contern , Galvão Engenharia, Cetenco, J. Malucelli and Serveng.

Number of workers at the construction: 28 thousand (2013 to 2014)

Affected population: at least 40 thousand people. Only at the city Altamira 7.790 families have been registered.

Localization

Belo Monte Altamira, Pará,