Carolina Pimentel      Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – President Dilma Rousseff announced on July 11 that the government will spend R$1.3 billion on environmental and social projects (“ações ambientais e sociais”) related to the construction of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric power plant on the Madeira River in the state of Rondônia. The plant is scheduled to begin generating electricity at the end of this year. Construction on Santo Antônio began in September 2008. It will generate 3,100 megawatts of electricity.

“When the Santo Antônio power plant is ready it will produce energy for millions of people. And when something this big is built it gives the local economy a big boost. Industries come, job are created, commerce grows and new opportunities appear,” the president explained during her weekly radio broadcast, Breakfast with the President.

On July 5, Dilma was in Rondônia at the site of the Santo Antônio dam for a ceremony marking the closing of the dam and the diversion of the river.

In her program, Dilma emphasized that 90% of electricity in Brazil is generated by non-polluting, renewable sources. “I can say with certainty that we are on the right path, using our hydropower resources in a responsible manner,” declared the president.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Governo deve aplicar R$ 1,3 bilhão em ações relacionadas à Usina Hidrelétrica Santo Antônio

Link – Dilma participa de cerimônia que marca início do desvio do Rio Madeira