18.02.2009
Jirau Construction consortium is fined R$ 475.000

Even before the emission of the installation licence for the hydroelectric dam of Jirau in the State of Rondonia, Ibama applied a R$ 475.000 fine to companies Suez Energy, Camargo Corrêa, CHESF and Eletrosul, members of the construction consortium Energia Sustentável. Ibama alleges that the consortium suppressed part of the vegetation in the region without authorization.

The consortium had authorization to suppress 40,83 hectares of forest on the right bank of Madeira River destined for the worksite, with access roads, excavation area etc. The fine in fact was applied because the company had not received the authorization to clear another area which was meant for the industrial worksite.

The Jirau hydroelectric dam project involves many ambiguities, amongst them the fact that the winner of the construction contract has already changed the initial project site which was presented in the viability studies. After many discussions, Ibama authorized the company to start working due to the forthcoming flooding period which could delay the operation of the plant for more than a year. Still though, the environmental agency has to do a definite analysis of the license.

At the end of last year the agency fined the construction consortium of the Santo Antonio dam – the second one constructed on Madeira River – with R$ 7,7 million for the death of tons of fish in the region. The consortium whose major shareholder is Odebrecht, has already appealed the decision and the process is under analysis in Ibama.