Belo Monte reduces reservoir water volume in Pará to face impacts from El Niño

The concessionaire Norte Energia began a gradual reduction in the volume of water destined for the intermediate reservoir of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant, located on the Xingu River, in Pará. The preventive action aims to mitigate the potential impacts of the El Niño climate phenomenon in the North of the country. With this measure, the water flow directed to the intermediate reservoir will increase from 300 m³/s to 100 m³/s. The company responsible for the plant emphasizes that the operation does not change the amount of water destined for the Volta Grande do Xingu, a stretch of the river that is home to several sensitive communities and ecosystems. The temporary maneuver should last until November 30th. The initiative is part of the Electric Energy Strategic Agenda, approved by the Electric Sector Monitoring Committee (CMSE), and meets a determination from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME). The operation has the consent and authorization of the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA) and the National Electric System Operator (ONS). What are the objectives of reducing water flow? The exceptional operation was designed to balance the security of energy supply with the socio-environmental preservation of the Xingu region. The main objectives of the measure are: Navigability: Ensure better vessel traffic conditions in the plant's main reservoir, facilitating the daily movement of riverside and indigenous communities; Protection of aquatic fauna: Ensure the full functioning of the Belo Monte Fish Transposition System, a structure used by migratory species during the reproduction period (piracema); Energy reliability: Offer greater predictability and security to the ONS in the planning and control of the National Interconnected System (SIN). During the entire period of the operation, Norte Energia will continuously monitor water quality, the physical conditions of the streams, navigability and the migratory behavior of fish. Reports with the results will be sent periodically to regulatory and environmental bodies. Belo Monte in the electrical sector Belo Monte is the largest 100% Brazilian hydroelectric plant and the fifth largest on the planet. In operation since May 2016, the project has generated a total of more than 264.9 million MWh of clean energy. This amount would be enough to supply the electrical demand of all of Brazil for five months without the need for other generation sources. Responsible for supplying, on average, 5% of the country's entire electricity demand, the hydroelectric plant functions as a type of "natural battery" for the national electrical system, playing a strategic role in guaranteeing supply at times of peak consumption and maintaining Brazil's energy reserves.