The Regional Director for Energy highlighted the involvement of the population in the clarification session on the Ribeira Grande hydroelectric project on Flores Island towards a common goal that ensure the economic and environmental sustainability of this island.
 
Andreia Carreiro stated that the information session held Thursday in Lajes das Flores was attended by representatives of EDA Renováveis and COBA - Engineering and Environmental Consultants; the latter was responsible for preparing the project and the environmental impact study. This event was mainly intended "to provide a detailed explained about the project and collect the contributions from the population."
 
The session clarified several concerns, especially those regarding themes associated with noise and landscape preservation.
 
The Regional Director stressed that this project "promotes a wider integration of renewable sources." It is expected that the operation of Ribeira Grande Hydropower Plant will boost the production of renewable electricity to 100% on the island of Flores in certain periods.
 
"These levels will be registered in certain periods insofar as water resources will account for about 90% of the island's overall electricity production. The annual contribution of this power is expected to reach 5.6GWh/year, thus contributing to an increase in hydropower production on Flores Island by 45 percentage points," stated Andreia Carreiro.
 
For the Regional Director, this is a determining factor for "a more decarbonised development of the island of Flores, as well as of the Azores, consolidating its image as a nature product."
 
"We have further projected the position of Flores as an example to follow in the context of island spaces regarding the use of its endogenous potential and its natural resources for energy production," said the government official.
 
This hydropower plant will be located on the island's east coast, near the village of Fajãzinha, on the left bank of Ribeira Grande stream, a location outside the limits of the urban area and near the sea. Access is made from that village, through an existing path along the left bank of the stream.
 
The licensing of the project has moved forward after the issuance of a Conditioned Favourable Environmental Impact Statement by the Regional Secretariat for Energy, Environment and Tourism.