Belo Monte Dam
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The hydroelectric Belo Monte (pt. Aproveitamento Hidrelétrica ( AHE ) = Hydroelectric Terms Belo Monte) is a currently (as of December 2013) property under construction major project for the production of electrical energy from hydropower on the Xingu River, a significant tributary of the Amazon River in Brazil.
About three dams of the river to be dammed up to two reservoirs with a combined area of about 516 km ², corresponding approximately to the size of Lake Constance. For this, about 20,000 people have expected to be relocated according to official figures. Dam opponents say up to 40,000 people.
The integrated hydroelectric power plant is to be the third largest power plant in the world with an installed capacity of over 11 gigawatts after its completion. The construction costs are estimated at $ 11 billion.
The project has been temporarily stopped three times since the grant of the first building permit in early 2011 by court decisions, in the meantime resumed. As of November 2013, in turn, could not be built. Commissioning is scheduled for 2015.
- 4.1 Environmental and nature protection
- 4.2 Displacement of indigenous people
Project participants
The AHE project is funded by the Brazilian government promoted ( the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Mines and Energy ), the National Electric Energy Agency ( ANEEL ) and the two large state-owned power companies Eletronorte and Eletrobrás.
For the construction to operators and investors have joined the consortium Norte Energia SA. The consortium is composed of various public and private companies, as well as Brazilian pension funds, 49.98% of the shares are owned by Eletrobrás.
Among the participating European companies belong as a supplier Alstom, Andritz and Voith.
History of development
Since the mid- 1970s there were such plans. Initially the project was planned much larger; the reservoir should be about 2000 km ², and also damming the tributary Rio Bacajá with. In the late 1980s, the concrete plans were first, but then withdrawn because of opposition from environmentalists and indigenous people. ( Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento - PAC ) Under Lula da Silva, President of the State in the calendar years 2003 to 2010, planning in significantly reduced form within the framework of the "Programme for Accelerated Growth " was resumed.
In February 2010, the Minister of the Environment of Brazil, Carlos Minc, announced that the short-term issue of environmental legal building permit. The operator must meet extensive requirements and provide compensation and compensation measures for the interventions in nature and the relocation of residents.
In April 2010, the consortium Norte Energia SA, the surcharge for the use of the hydropower project was granted. On 26 August 2010 Lula da Silva signed the concession contract, the term is 35 years.
On 26 January 2011, the Brazilian environmental agency IBAMA granted a partial construction permit for the dam. This extends to first construction measures, including the clearing of 238 hectares of rainforest, as well as the start of leveling work and the construction of access roads and storage areas. An interim freeze for non-compliance with environmental regulations was abolished on 3 March 2011 again by the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court.
End of September 2011 imposed a Brazilian dish again a temporary halt to construction of the adverse effect of fishing of the natives living in the area of influence. Just three months later, in December 2011, the same judge, however, revised its decision on the grounds that the anticipated effects of the dam on the environment but are not as serious as he had adopted at its disposal the freeze. He admitted, however, that a final assessment after completion is possible. In November 2012, the works were interrupted by violent labor disputes and, since October 31, 2013, the construction work is interrupted by a new court order.
Geography and Structures
The proposed dam is to be built near the town of Altamira in the state of Pará. From Altamira downstream to Vitória do Xingu Xingu pulls a wide loop of about 100 km in length with low gradient. By damming and using two channels to an artificial opening through this loop - almost a "shortcut " - occur with increased slope. This case height 89.3 meters, will be used to generate electricity.
The power plant Belo Monte is situated on the national highway BR -230, Rodovia the Transamazônica, the east of the power plant the Xingu crosses.
To damming of the Xingu are three dams to be built:
Dam Pimental ( Xingu Reservoir )
The dam Pimental at the island Pimental about 30 km southeast of Altamira ( 3 ° 24 '4 " S, 51 ° 57 ' 6" W 51.951599 3.401016 - ) blocks from the main run of the Xingu. This makes the river bed to about 50 km upstream of Altamira to the Xingu Reservoir ( Reservatório Xingu ) is dammed with an area of more than 200 km ². Parts of the city are flooded Altamira.
The dam Pimental is by far the longest of the three dams constructed with about 6 km. It also includes a power plant, which has an installed capacity of only 233 MW ( 9 MW bulb turbine à 25.9 ) is negligibly small but in comparison with the main power station below.
From the Xingu dam branch above the dam Pimental from two diversion channels ( Canais de Derivação ), the second large reservoir, the channel Reservoir ( Reservatório dos Canais ), divert the waters of the Xingu through the hilly country east of Altamira.
Dam Bela Vista ( channel reservoir)
The dam Bela Vista, about half the length of the Xingu loop ( 3 ° 19 ' 47 " S, 51 ° 45' 39" W 51.760712 3.329728 - ) locks a tributary of the channel reservoir, thereby ensuring that the reservoir not side expires in the bed of the Xingu.
The dam Bela Vista contains no turbines to generate electricity.
Dam and power plant of Belo Monte ( channel reservoir)
Near the small town of Belo Monte on the banks of the Xingu (3 ° 8 ' 9 " S, 51 ° 46' 23" W 51.773071 3.135717 - ) to be built, the main power plant of the project. In machine building are 20 Francis turbines are installed with a capacity of 550 MW.
The power plant is expected to be after its completion with 11 GW the benefit third largest power plant in the world, after the power plant at the Three Gorges Dam in China with 18.3 GW and the power plant Itaipu on the border between Paraguay and Brazil, with 14 GW. The power plant will cover about 11 % of Brazil's electricity needs.
Criticism
The project is supported since the 1980s by massive protests that brought the end of the 1980 international donors like the World Bank to phase and the project temporarily stopped. Sting, James Cameron and other celebrities support the protest publicly. Also, it is criticized by well-known non-governmental organizations and activists for environmental protection, development aid, human rights and sustainability.
The criticism mainly concerns the impact on nature and the environment by the flooding of about 516 sq. km of arable land and precious rainforest and the planned relocation of people, including indigenous people. The electricity generated is not primarily serve the people in the region, but especially in energy-intensive mining industry.
In addition, state funding is criticized and put the economy in question.
In place of the dam, critics point to the large energy saving potential of Brazil, which amounted to a multiple of the dam performance.
Environment and Conservation
Environmentalists fear through the diversion and impoundment of the river serious inroads into the ecosystem of the Xingu, especially the fish stocks, their migration and inventory as a whole hampered by the dams. Various adapted to life in the rapids of the Xingu catfish (among Hypancistrus zebra, Hypancistrus sp., And many more), rheophile tetras, cichlids, and still unexplored types of rapids areas and other habitats are threatened with extinction. It affects hundreds of species, many of them endemic.
Displacement of indigenous peoples
According to estimates by critics to be the dam up to 40,000 people displaced and the project threatens the livelihoods of indigenous people from 18 different ethnic groups.
Although none of the reserves in the Brazilian natives is directly affected by flooding or area of resettlement, various strains from the group of Xingu Indians are indirectly affected by the change in the flow of their livelihood. Particularly noteworthy here are the Jurunas whose tribal area Paquiçamba below the dam Pimental, where the Xingu will lead to the construction of significantly less water.
The dam provides in particular for the uncontacted tribes in Brazil, a survival risk, as they are likely to have only weak defenses against diseases like flu. The immigration of workers and settlers in the area would increase the risk of infection greatly
The Indians should be compensated for their sacrifices R $ 1.5 billion ( € 570 million). The credibility of this announcement, however, doubted by critics with regard to promises not kept by the past.
2010 attended the Canadian director James Cameron Jurunas, Xipaia and Xikrin Kayapó, who oppose the relocation of 12,000 inhabitants and the destruction of their culture. The British rock singer Sting and the American actress Sigourney Weaver are other prominent artists that support the Indians. Sting had in 1989 supported the protest against the project.
The German filmmaker Martin Kessler published in 2011 a video of 10 minutes in length, in which he reported on the opposition to the project and conducted interviews among others, the winner of the Alternative Nobel Prize Bishop Dom Erwin Kräutler. The title of the video is count down the Xingu.
In January 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency gave their permission for the construction of the dam, then protested early February Indians against the construction in the capital Brasilia. On Tuesday, August 14, 2012 Judge Souza Prudente imposed the freeze on the request of the state of Pará. The operating company Norte Energia has violated Brazilian law by the affected indigenous population has not been consulted prior to construction and adequately informed of the consequences. Many environmental organizations and human rights activists were protesting against the building, including the organization Save the Rainforest eV, Avaaz and Amazon Watch. Against the current judgment of the operating company may, however, appeal to the Supreme Court.