Rio, March 2, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The headquarters of Eletrobrás in Rio de Janeiro will no longer function in the President Vargas Avenue building where a fire on Thursday (26) destroyed the six top stories. This announcement was made yesterday (1) by the board of directors of the holding company in a meeting with about 900 employees at the Guanabara Hotel.

According to Eletrobrás's Press Office, the company is arranging to rent several stories in a building along Flamengo Beach, in the southern zone of the city, to serve as its Rio headquarters. Eletrobrás thinks that the move should occur by the end of the month, since the 600 employees who work in the headquarters are temporarily occupying office space lent by Furnas and Eletronuclear.

The board of directors estimates that the definitive installation of the company in a new headquarters will be concluded in about a year. (DAS)