Brazilian court approves Amazon Belo Monte dam

A controversial hydro-electric project in the Amazon rainforest has been approved by a Brazilian court. This decision overturns an earlier ruling that said that construction of the Belo Monte dam did not meet environmental standards.

The Belo Monte dam is a cornerstone of President Dilma Rousseff’s plan to upgrade Brazil’s energy infrastructure. The government says the dam is crucial for development and job-creation, and that the dam will provide electricity to 23 million homes when complete.

It has long been a source of controversy, with critics saying that the dam will threaten the survival of a number of indigenous groups and could make up to 50,000 people homeless.

Brazil’s electric grid is seen by many to be an infrastructure priority for Dilma’s government. In the run up to the Olympics and the World Cup, Brazil foresees its electricity consumption growing, and so this need must be met. That said, I do think that some consideration must be given to both the environment and indigenous populations, and hope that these issues have been addressed by the planners and developers.

Read the full story from the BBC.

Learn more about Brazilian electric projects at Smart Electricity World LatAm.

Learn more about Brazilian infrastructure at Infrastructure Investment World Brasil.