i>Thaís Leitão
Reporter Agência Brasil

Rio – Following quickly on the heels of the announcement two days ago that the government intends to construct six new hydroelectric power plants, a work group has been formed and will be operating as of next Monday (January 9) with the objective of ensuring that all the projected plants have the necessary environmental licenses.

The group will focus first on the projected hydroelectric power plants of Santo Antônio and Jirau which are both located in the state of Rondonia on the Madeira River (one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River). The two plants have a projected generating capacity of 6,450 MW, which is over half the generating capacity of the world's biggest operating power plant, at Itaipu, on the border of Brazil and Paraguay, which generates 12,600 MW (Itaipu will become the world's second biggest power plant when the Three Gorges plant in China goes into operation).

According to the office of the Presidential Chief of Staff, two of the other four projected power plants also need environmental licenses. They are Dardanelos in the state of Mato Grosso, and Maua in the state of Paraná.

The two power plants that are ready to receive environmental licensing approval, according to the government, are both located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. They are Cambuci and Barra do Pomba.

Translation: Allen Bennett