At the moment, the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant on the Madeira River in Rondônia is the seventh largest power generator in Brazil. Designed to operate at full load with 50 machines and 3,568 megawatts of power, it has not yet reached full capacity, which is not expected to happen until the end of 2016.
But with 32 turbines in operation, its output is already 2,100 MW. Above it are only Itaipu, Tucuruí, Ilha Solteira, Xingó, Paulo Afonso IV and Itumbiara. When its river neighbor, the Jirau plant, completes its motorization, it will move slightly ahead of Santo Antônio, with its 3,750 MW. Madeira will then become one of Brazil’s main sources of energy, almost all of which will be transmitted by an extensive high-voltage line as far south as São Paulo.
Energy province: the destiny of the Amazon outlined in federal plans. With all the controversy and conflict, they are imposing themselves as reality – by force of arms and money.
