- Balbina Dam
The Balbina Dam (Portuguese "Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina") is a
hydroelectric dam and power plant on theUatumã River in theAmazon Rainforest ,Brazil . The location is under the municipality ofPresidente Figueiredo jurisdiction, in the state ofAmazonas .It was built from
1985 to1989 and is managed byManaus Energia , under theEletronorte system. The first of five generators began operating in February1989 . The dam generates an average of 112.2 MW of electricity from the river system and floods a total of 2360 km2 of rainforest [cite web|author=Philip M. Fearnside|url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/l0504508pv1632u2/|title= Balbina Dam, Amazonas|publisher=Department of Ecology, National Institute for Research in the Amazon (INPA)|date=2006-08-26 |accessdate=2007-12-04]The dam was established to provide a renewable electricity supply to the city of
Manaus but was considered by locals a controversial project from the start, due to the loss of forest and displacement of tribal homes grounds such as theAmerindian tribe. It was also criticized for its expensive construction and maintenance costs. [ [http://www.cepa.if.usp.br/energia/energia1999/Grupo2B/Hidraulica/balbina.htm Balbina ] ] .References
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