São Paulo, October 7, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - On Monday (7), the Minister of Mines and Energy, Dilma Rousseff, informed that on October 20, in Brasília, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will inaugurate a program aimed at residents of rural areas in Brazil, for them to have access to electric energy.

The Minister informed that around two million residences in rural areas do not possess electric energy. According to Rousseff, the purpose of the program is "to make possible the socio-economic insertion of this population."

She also informed that the bidding process for new energy generation projects will take place "no earlier than September, 2004." "There is energy to spare in Brazil," Rousseff revealed.

The Minister explained that, even if the country experiences a high rate of growth, increasing the demand for energy, it will only be necessary to increase the supply beginning in 2007.

The Minister also said that a study is currently being done of the project portfolio. "We shall leave everything ready for the bidding process to be opened, when there are signs that more energy is needed," Rousseff informed.

She underscored that, with the new model for the electric energy sector, the competition will be held with the greatest possible transparency, and energy generation concessions should be granted to the proposals that present the lowest rates.

The Minister of Mines and Energy was in São Paulo to participate in the opening of the International Electric Industry, Energy, and Automation Fair (FIEE-2003). (DAS)