Brazil's national water agency ANA and environmental regulator Ibama have awarded the installation license for the 3.3GW Jirau hydro plant, the country's Diário Oficial gazette reported.
The Enersus consortium, which won the right to build and operate the plant, is now authorized to proceed with initial construction works that include a temporary structure to store supplies and equipment needed for construction.
The government also authorized the consortium to build a watertight chamber for underwater work while the hydro plant's turbines are installed.
Ibama still needs to grant Jirau the definitive license to authorize civil works, but the regulator did approve the project's new location 9km from the area specified in the original bidding rules.
"There's a conclusive decision about the environmental feasibility of the location change," an environment ministry spokesperson told BNamericas.
One of the license's conditions stipulates Enersus invest 36mn reais (US$15.8mn) in housing and sanitation in Porto Velho, Rondônia state, the spokesperson added.
The consortium wants to take advantage of current weather conditions before the rainy season starts in January next year. Jirau is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.
Multinational energy group GDF Suez has a 50.1% stake in Enersus and engineering firm Camargo Corrêa holds 9.9%. Federal power holding company Eletrobrás subsidiaries Eletrosul and Chesf each have 20%.
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