Granting of the preliminary licence now allows the auction for construction of the project to go ahead – although the licence does include 40 conditions that must be met by future developers of the project.
The project, on the Xingu River in the state of Para, will help the South American country help meet soaring demand for electricity once developed, but it has been mired in controversy with environmental groups claiming the scheme will damage the ecosystem and threaten wildlife in the region.
