Aspectos ambientais nas usinas hidrelétricas

Abstract

Currently, the supply of energy is extremely important condition for the expansion of economic and social development in various locations. To this end, the company has witnessed an intense process of transformation with the considerable sums construction of hydropower plants and significant impacts on the environment, given the fragility of nature, requiring thus the regulation and hard control around environmental sustainability. Presenting the hydroelectric project for its construction, among other documents, are part of the license, the Preliminary License (LP), which ensures environmental sustainability, the Installation License (LI), authorizing the start of construction, if the projects are considered environmentally viable, and operating License (LO), which ensures the operation of the enterprise. The latter requires the EIA reports / full EIR and approved by the State Council of Environment after hearings and public participation in the process. Only then the license for installation and operation of a hydroelectric plant may be granted by the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL). Although with environmental legislation of the most advanced and complete in the world, Brazil has lacks mechanisms of control and punishment to offenders that degrade the environment. This paper describes the environmental licensing for hydropower plants, considering from the beginning of the application feasibility of the project until after its construction and execution of activities, covering the relevant country legislation.