Porto Alegre, August 6, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Rio Grande do Sul, a state located in the southern region of Brazil, will receive approximately US$ 200 million in investments through a project presented by the Spanish company, Enerfin-Elecnor, which intends to install two wind-energy parks capable of generating 200 megawatts. One of them will be implanted in Palmares do Sul, and the other, in Osorio.

According to the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Germano Rigotto, there is a good possibility that the state will receive an environmental license by the end of the week. This will enable the company to receive resources from the National Incentive Program for Alternative Energy Sources (Proinfa), of the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Rigotto also confirmed that the Spanish group will set up its headquarters in Rio Grande do Sul.

The general director of Enerfin-Elecnor, Guillermo Planas, informed that the company is active in 54 countries with hundreds of wind-energy generation facilities, which give them technical credentials to operate in Rio Grande do Sul. Over the past two years the company has carried out measurements of winds in the state. According to the entrepreneur, the results guarantee the region's potential for producing one of the cleanest forms of energy, using winds as a source. (DAS)