Belo Monte Dam

Advantages and Disadvantage overview of the Belo Monte Dam Project in Brazil

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  • Created by: Hannah
  • Created on: 11-01-13 19:30

Belo Monte Dam

Advantages

  • Allows socio-economic development (increase GDP by 5% each year over next 10 years with extra 6000 MW of energy each year)
  • Could provide power for 18 million homes
  • Would encourage and provide infrastructure in the area, including to those communities affected (e.g. those who live in wooden stilt houses in Altamira)
  • Would improve sanitation conditions
  • Job oppurtunities, especially in mining, industry, commerical agriculture and infrastructure development
  • Quality of life is improving as Brazil develops and therefore there is a high demand for electricity which needs to be met somehow
  • Moves people from dry, overpopulated areas from the South towards the North
  • Increasing oil prices so HEP is an alternative
  • Wind farms cannot compete with HEP as they are on a much smaller scale
  • Potential to sell more oil to stimulate socio-economic development
  • Highest bidder must spend $800 million to protect the environment
  • Renewable, sustainable resource
  • Brazil is already largely dependent on HEP so it is natural progression
  • Large river system in Amazon basin
  • Conservation areas will be established (280,000 ha of forest)
  • Minimum flow rates and projects have been put into place to try and conteract the social costs of the project (gov's argument)
  • 19 gas-powered thermal plants would be needed to equal the energy ourput of the Belo Monte
  • 2500 indirect jobs created
  • Would have the capacity to supply electricity to the whole of Para state

Disadvantages

  • Human rights of the indigenous communities ignored
  • Over 12,000 people are expected to be affected by the dam
  • 80% of the Xingu will be diverted in all - affects the river further downstream
  • Sediment that is removed from the river at the resovoir's will increase the velocity of the river and hence erosion further downstream
  • In the 4 month dry season, it could become the most inefficient dam in the world = only 10% of full capacity
  • Large body of still water (resovoir) encourages breeding of mosquitos - malaria
  • Flooding of the rainforest will disrupt ecosystems (endangered animals e.g. white-cheeked spider monkey), potentially destroy unknown medical plants and the vegetation left in the bottom of the resovoirs will emit methane which is 25% more potent than Carbon Dioxide
  • Breeding grounds for fish lost, as they cannot migrate to these spots - turtle species too
  • Potentially devastating if the dam breaks to surrounding area
  • Danger of further dams having to be built in order to make the dam efficient (some say 6 more needed)
  • Worldwide scrutiny faced by Brazilian government
  • Electricity will fuel the mining and metal processes in Para state which will be 'dirty energy'
  • Unlikely to lower electricity prices in Brazil because most will be used for industrial purposes
  • Expense of the dam - initial cost, need to move tens of thousands of people, compensation and lose of energy
  • Could still have 2.5 times the emission of a fossil-fuel plant after 20 yrs
  • First contact with outsiders and 85% of the Kayapo died
  • Transmission losses as HEP cannot be placed too close to need
  • UN Human Rights Council issued statements against the treatment of the indigenous communities

Evaluation

Socially and environmentally the dam's costs seem to outweigh the benefits because tens of thousands will be displaced and the environment's costs can only be guessed at but they seem to be great. However economically it could allow further socio-economic development in the area and this is why the government are backing this controversial project. However I do not think that economics can be more important than social and environment in this case. I think it is also important to remember though that when Britain was developing, we devastated the environment and did not always follow Human Rights so is this just a necessary step in development? I am not sure in the modern world this is the case.

Comments

amy

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revising for the geo4b exam, this is really helpful, thanks! 

Anna

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THIS WAS SOOOOO HELPFULL!!!!!!!!!

Alice.kennon

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THANK YOU SO MUCHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mattyxgg1

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this is awesome