Norte Energia, an affiliate of Eletrobras which owns and operates the 11 GW Belo Monte hydropower plant, has signed an agreement with Brazil’s environmental agency Ibama on the water flow of the Xingu River in Pará (northern Brazil). The company has pledged additional spendings in environmental conservation and assistance for the local population to maintain energy generation water flows.
The Belo Monte project concession was auctioned by ANEEL in 2010 and awarded by the Norte Energia consortium, consisting of Eletrobras (49.98%), Neoenergia (10%), Petros (10%), Funcef (10%), autoproducers (9% Vale and Cemig, 1% Sinobras) and Amazônia Energia (Light and Cemig, 9.77%). The 35-year concession agreement was signed in August 2010. The project was originally scheduled to start commercial operations in February 2015 but Norte Energia had to deal with worksite occupations and approval cancellations. In November 2019, the National Agency of Electric Energy of Brazil (ANEEL) authorised the 18th and last turbine of the Belo Monte project to start operations. Commissioning the last turbine allowed the project's developer Norte Energia to operate at its full capacity of 11,233 MW. The controversial project is expected to generate enough power to supply around 60 million people across the country.
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