03 - CERPCH - Unifei

NEWS
MME AND CERPCH INSPECTS MICRO-PLANTS OF JATUARANA AND NOVO PLANO
The micro-plants (µCH) of Jatuarana and Novo Plano, located in
Rondônia, were inspected in May by the CERPCH team and representatives
of the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME). The inspection
aimed at checking the sustainability of the projects so that new
models can be re-used in the North Region.
Located approximately 90 Km from Belterra and 140 Km from
Santarém in the state of Pará, Jatuarana µCH is an example of success.
Having a power of 55 kW, the µCH meets the energy demands
of 36 families that belong to the communities of Nova Olinda and
Santa Luzia. Before the construction of Jatuarana, a few families
had electric power supply. Many of them used small capacity diesel
electricity generators or lamps that burned kerosene or gas.
The simplicity of the installations and of the equipment used at
Jatuarana is one of the factors that led the µCH to have a good operation.
The dwellers of the communities operate and carry out the
maintenance of the plant.
Novo Plano µCH hás a Power of 76 kW and is located 70 Km
from the city of Chupinguaia, in the state of Rondônia and 160 Km
from PimentaBueno. The region has an association formed by approximately
60 people, but only four families have electric power,
the others use lamps. The community already had a deviation arrangement
that operated at a run-of-river regime. This way, the
whole existing structure was used for the construction of the µCH.
At Novo Plano CERPCH's team carried out a meeting with the
dweller association, where the community questioned the lack of
power lines in the region and the fact that only three families receive
electric power. CERPCH's civil engineer, Mr. HelmoLemos, explained
that there was an agreement with the Electric Company of
Rondônia (CERON) that forecast the implementation of a power
line through the project 'Light for Everyone', but the engineer believes
that the utility did not see any advantage regarding the installation
of an line independent from the interconnected system.
Mr. Lemos says that besides CERPCH's and MME's teams, representatives
of the city council of Chupinguaia and one representative
of Eletrobrás, who became aware of the situation in Novo Plano
in order to help in the process to implement a power line in
Chupinguaia, participated in the meeting. The MME established an
agreement with the community and the community itself will be in
Fotos: Arquivo CERPCH
Translation Adriana Candal
charge of the operation and maintenance of the µCH.Mr. Lemos believes
that with the arrival of 'Light for Everyone' in Novo Plano
more houses Will have electricity, in addition to the possibility of
the installation of industries or companies to improve the income of
the community. “They will be able to use the energy to generate income
for the community, for they can make a separate line from
'Light for Everyone' or interconnect, but for that to become a reality,
CERON must assess whether it compensates for the company
or not.”
CERPCH's team will be back to the region this month to teach
the people of the association that will be in charge of the plant, so
that there will be a constant maintenance in Novo Plano.
When the subject is the success of Jatuarana, he explains that
there is another reality in the development and maintenance of the
µCH. He says that a turbine manufacturer and isolated grid constructor
of the region assumed the operation of the plant with the
community, providing its constant maintenance. This way, all the
region is assisted by the plant, “last year there was a flood at the
place and parte of the plant was destroyed and the contractor repaired
the powerhouse, part of the channel and gave electricity to
the community, including a three-phase line”. He says that the only
concern of the contractor is to have a person of the community that
is constantly responsible for the maintenance of the µCH.
He also says that the there was already a small plant where
Jatuarana was installed. The dam, the intake installation, the pipes
and the powerhouse were refurbished. In addition, a more technically
feasible system was installed. “They have a low cost quality energy,
for the community made a deal with the contractor and a
small fee is charged for the maintenance of the µCH. The community
is well-served and satisfied with the generation of energy of
Jatuarana.”
Researcher Ms. Elaine Regina Bortoni visited both communities
and carried out a socio-economic indicative study and compared
the situations before and after the implementation of the µCHs and
the changes in the life in the families of the region. The visit aimed
at the improvement of the life quality and life expectancy after the
electricity arrived in the community. “There are families that have
power lines in front of their houses, but they do not have energy.
Then I carried out a study on the expectation of the families to receive
energy from the µCHs and CERON.”
Ms. Bortoni says that the improvement in life is tangible after
the arrival of electricity. “There was a significant improvement in
daily basic situations of the people such as eating and hygene habits
after the arrival of the energy.” The researcher says that the
houses are also different, “for now they have fridges and blenders.
Now they can produce fruit extract for internal commercialization.”
There is also a project to build a touristic hotel that will warm up the
economy of the region.
She said that in order to reach improvement such as these, it is
mandatory the effective participation of the association of the communities
and their leaders if they really want to see the results of
the enterprise in their region, “this is of the utmost importance for
the success of a µCH”, she concluded.
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