Existing Solutions

Sustainability, Energy, Hydropower, Renewable Energy, Environmental Management

technical

The Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Plant is the first large plant to be built in Brazil in almost three decades – it will be one of the largest in the country in energy generation. In spite of – and precisely because of – its location in midst of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, it is an example that energy can de generated sustainably. In addition to the innovative aspects of the activities implemented and results obtained, the importance of this power plant lies in the fact that all activities are economically viable and replicable, creating new perspectives in renewable energy generation with sustainable water management in the Amazon.

The layout of the plant allows for the multiple use of water resources, vital for the integrity of the ecosystem, livelihood of the area’s inhabitants and development of the region (namely transport, fishery, and tourism). The choice of use of bulb turbines with run-of-the-river technology in the plant design reduces considerably the flooded area for creation of the reservoir, producing significantly fewer social and environmental impacts.
Approximately US$750 million (R$1.3 billion), will be allocated to the 28 environmental programs. Some of the key programs include:

The Santo Antônio Hydropower Plant is located in midst of the Brazilian Amazon Forest, a region endowed with rich biodiversity and natural resources. The plant is situated precisely on the Madeira River, a subsidiary of the Amazon River, Forest, 7 km from the city of Porto Velho, capital of the state of Rondônia, northwestern Brazil.  When totally built, Santo Antonio will produce 3.150 MW of energy, sufficient to provide electricity to 11 million homes, or 40 million people.

Odebrecht, in partnership with state-run energy company Eletrobrás Furnas, conducted environmental studies and stakeholder consultations for six years prior to the government auction. After the auction, Santo Antonio Energia, the concession holder responsible for the construction and implementation of the plant was created, composed by the Brazilian companies Eletrobrás-Furnas, Odebrecht Energia, Andrade Gutierrez, Cemig and FIP Amazônia (FI-FGTS and Banif).

Strategic and constructive partnerships with local and regional institutions, such as the Amazon Research Institute (INPA), as well as local NGOs, and environmental agencies were key to bringing about tangible results. Santo Antônio Energia also works pro-actively to ensure commitment of the municipal and state governments through permanent dialogue and involvement.

To ensure continuity, the knowledge and skills regarding technologies and sustainable practices are being transferred to the local population and institutions.

Santo Antônio Hydropower Plant is a solution to the challenge of how to build a socially and environmentally sustainable hydroelectric plant with the least possible impact, given the region’s unique characteristics.

• Technology that leads to energy efficiency and reduction in flooded area
• Benefits to local population.
• 56% reduction in cases of malaria in only two years.
• Daily treatment of 1 million m3 of water used at the construction site and 100% of the daily sewage;
• Development of 7 resettlement villages with 548 new homes, improving their quality of life with water and sewage treatment, electricity, street lighting, and brick houses.
• 39,000 he of Permanent Protected Areas.
• 58,000 animals rescued in the Fauna Monitoring and Rescue Program.
• R$ 5 million in the implementation of Brazil’s largest Wildlife Sorting Center.
• 777 cataloged species of fish in two years of research.
• Discovery of 40 new fish species.
• River water quality monitoring in real-time with support from the first floating laboratory in Brazil

Santo Antônio will continue to generate tangible benefits for the region in the long-term, including R$ 84 million per year in royalties paid for use of water.

• Replacement of a fossil fuel for a renewable energy source of energy.
• Generation of high scientific knowledge in a number of areas, such as fauna, fish fauna, flora, archeology, and hydrosedimentology.
• Income generation and local prosperity with the application of revenue generated by both the project itself and by the region’s development.
Training of more than 50,000 individuals in areas, 49 000 in believing, for qualification of manpower for construction, and more than 2,000 people in a variety of services aimed at the development of the region.
• Ever greater reduction in cases of malaria and other water-borne diseases (In 2007, before the power plant, the incidence of malaria in the city was 85.9%. In 2010, this ratio decreased even more to 54.7%, representing a total reduction of 36.3%. The first half of 2011 showed a 29.7% reduction in cases of malaria compared to last year, placing the region in a “lower than expected transmission risk” category by the Ministry of Health

The emerging challenges of challenge of sustainable hydroelectricity in the context of a green economy provides an exceptional opportunity to effect a shift in an economic development model that still struggles to incorporate social development and environmental protection issues.  This experience would hence be of great interest to those interested in investing in renewable energy generated through water to promote regional socioeconomic development.

Factors for success include:

• Integrated solutions
• Mobilization of the political resources
• Strategic Planning
• Strengthened public participation (establishing a shared vision), creation of appropriate conditions, combined with the necessary financial, technological means of implementation of the commitments undertaken?
• Transparency in the communication and relationship with society.
• Alignment with regulatory and supervisory bodies.
• Capacity building of local population thru the Acreditar Program, which provided the foundation for population’s appropriation and empowerment?
• Environmental awareness

Our intention is that the implementation of the Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Plant serves as a model for other similar projects in the Amazon biome. All solutions for water and sewage treatment in the construction site are being replicated in other plants. The landfill from the construction site also served as a model for the first municipal trash dumpsite in Porto Velho. The solution used in the installation of Long Lasting Impregnated Nets (Milds) and health education in the region was consider a model by the Ministry of Health and will be replicated in other areas of Rondonia State for installation of over 200,000 Milds, with investment from the Global Environmental Fund (GEF).

Santo Antônio Energia
Mr. Paulo Roberto Damião
Director of Institutional Relations email: paulodamiao@santoantonioenergia.com.br
Phone: +55 11 3702-2272/71 or 11 996209033

Attached are some material about the sustainability of the Santo Antônio Plant as well as the logo. Additional information can also be found on Santo Antônio Energia’s website: www.santoantonioenergia.com.br.