The National Energy Board of Brazil has approved the construction of the 11,200 MW Belo Monte hydro power project of Brazil's Norte Energia consortium.
The hydro project is located in the western Para state, along the Rio Xingu river in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest.
Transmission lines would connect electricity generated by the dams’ turbines to the main Brazilian power grid, which would distribute it throughout the country, for public consumption (upto 70%) and for industries such as mining and mineral transformation (upto 30%).
The project is estimated to cost more than $11bn.
Commercial operations of the plant are scheduled to commence by 2015 and is targeted to be completed by 2019.
Brazil’s environmental regulator, Ibama, has issued the final installation license for the project, reports Business News Americas.