The Machadinho Consortium has invested in recomposing and rebuilding the region’s landscape, roads and electricity network. It has applied resources in infrastructure for constructing rural resettlement areas with schools, a church, community centers and leisure centers, in addition to offering financial help until the first harvest and technical, agricultural and social assistance for five years.

During the building work the Machadinho Consortium employed 7,000 people and created 30,000 indirect jobs. With the filling of the reservoir 754 families, spread over 1080 properties, were transferred to new homes. A few other hundred families were compensated and had the opportunity of choosing their own place to live and work. 

Visit Program to the Machadinho Hydroelectric Power Station
With the idea of bringing the community and the Power Station closer together, in August 2007, 43 students from the Hedy Klein School, in Ipira (SC), were the first to visit the Machadinho Hydroelectric Power Station. At the time the school children watched an institutional video and visited the power station’s installations, accompanied by trained guides. In addition to students the general public can visit the installations. During the visit program people have the opportunity of visiting the lookout point, the powerhouse and the control center.

To encourage the students to take maximum advantage of the visit the Machadinho Consortium has also launched an essay writing program, the theme of which is: “Visiting the Machadinho Hydroelectric Power Station”. The student who wins first prize for the best essay receives a computer, printer, voltage stabilizer, desk and chair. The teacher indicated by the student’s school will win a digital camera. The student’s school will also receive a TV, a DVD player and a piece of furniture for installing the equipment. 

In 2008, continuing with the integration program with the local community, which has shown itself to be interested in visiting the installations, the visit agenda will be intense. All that is needed to schedule a visit to the power station is to call 0800-644-0026. Visits can be programmed from Monday thru Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.