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| Balbina Dam | |
|---|---|
| Country | Brazil |
| Location | Amazonas |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction started | 1985 |
| Opened | 1989 |
| Owner | Centrais Elétricas do Norte do Brasil |
| Dam type | Earthfill |
| Dam height | 30 m |
| Plant capacity | 250 MW |
| Reservoir surface | 2360 km2 |
| Reservoir volume | 17.5 km3 |
Balbina Dam
Balbina Dam is a hydroelectric project on the Uatumã River in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, commissioned in 1989. Designed and operated by Centrais Elétricas do Norte do Brasil and built with participation from Eletrobras, the project aimed to supply power to Manaus and support regional development. The project became notable for its large flooded area relative to installed capacity and for sparking environmental and legal debates involving organizations such as IBAMA, WWF-Brazil, and international researchers.
Planning for the project emerged during the military government period in Brazil when national initiatives such as the Política Nacional de Energia and regional development programs like the Grande Carajás Program emphasized Amazon harnessing. Studies commissioned by Eletrobras and the state government of Amazonas evaluated several sites on the Uatumã River, with inputs from engineering firms and consultants linked to institutions such as Universidade de São Paulo, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, and international advisors. The project was contextualized within broader infrastructure investments including the Trans-Amazonian Highway and the expansion of Manaus Free Trade Zone, raising interest from ministries like the Ministry of Mines and Energy and legislatures in Brasília.
Construction began in 1985 under contracts awarded to Brazilian contractors affiliated with state-owned companies and followed procurement standards influenced by agencies such as BNDES and international lenders. The earthfill dam reaches approximately 30 metres in height, with a concrete intake and powerhouse complex that houses Kaplan turbines supplied by manufacturers connected to industrial groups operating in São Paulo (state). Installed capacity totals about 250 MW distributed via transmission links to the Manaus power grid and integrated with facilities managed by ONS. Structural design references align with standards developed by engineering bodies including ABNT and drew on hydrological datasets from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
The reservoir inundated roughly 2,360 km2 of tropical forest and has a storage volume around 17.5 km3, altering the hydrology of the Uatumã River basin and tributaries near the Amazon River. Reservoir creation changed flood pulse dynamics affecting downstream locales such as riverine communities along the Uatumã River and portions of the Lake Auaris system. Hydrological monitoring programs were later carried out by research groups affiliated with INPA and universities including Federal University of Amazonas. The reservoir’s morphology and retention time influenced processes studied by the National Water Agency (ANA) and academic teams collaborating with international partners.
Flooding of extensive rainforest led to biomass decomposition and greenhouse gas emissions examined in studies by IPAM, WWF-Brazil, and academic researchers at INPA and University of Cambridge. The reservoir habitat conversion affected species associated with riverine and terra firme ecosystems including primates surveyed by teams from National Museum of Brazil collaborations, fish communities monitored by researchers from Embrapa, and migratory fish whose life cycles intersect with the Amazon River floodplain. The project area overlaps landscapes home to protected areas such as parts of the Uatumã Biological Reserve, generating interactions with agencies like ICMBio and conservation NGOs including Conservation International.
Local indigenous groups and riverine populations including communities linked to the Tucano and other ethnicities experienced displacement, loss of subsistence resources, and alterations to fisheries that had supported livelihoods tied to markets in Manaus. Compensation and resettlement programs involved the state government of Amazonas and federal bodies such as FUNAI and were criticized by civil society organizations like Amnesty International and Brazilian advocacy groups. Economically, the dam contributed to electrification for industrial sectors in the Manaus Free Trade Zone while raising questions about cost-effectiveness compared with alternatives promoted by researchers at University of São Paulo and planners at BNDES.
Operation has been managed by Eletronorte with oversight from regulatory entities like ANEEL. Annual generation has varied with hydrological conditions and maintenance scheduling informed by turbine inspections and sediment management studies often conducted with assistance from engineering faculties at Federal University of Santa Catarina and private consultants. Grid integration involves coordination with transmission operators such as TAESA and system planning by ONS, especially to serve demand centers in Manaus and regional industries.
The project generated litigation and administrative actions involving agencies like IBAMA, Procuradoria da República, and NGOs including Greenpeace and SOS Amazônia. Criticisms focused on greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, inadequate resettlement, and questions raised in academic assessments from institutions such as Oxford University and University of Cambridge. Legal outcomes influenced environmental licensing practices overseen by Ministry of the Environment (Brazil), and the Balbina case has been cited in debates on future Amazonian hydroelectric planning and in policy reviews by international funders like the World Bank and multilaterals examining infrastructural safeguards.
Category:Dams in Brazil Category:Hydroelectric power stations in Brazil Category:Amazonas (Brazilian state)