Data o​f the Holding – administrative activities*

Consolidated data of Eletrobras Companies (G&T)

Water

The water used to generate power in Eletrobras hydroplants is all returned to the water bodies, and the quality is equivalent to the captured water. Our thermal plants capture water from surface sources for refrigeration and steam generation, and then returned to the original water body within legal temperature and quality requirements, minimizing the impact on ecosystems and habitats.  The quality of the water used in Eletrobras Companies operations is monitored and reported. The results of this analysis are issued according to the permits and demands of the environmental bodies.

In addition to water used to generate energy, Eletrobras also uses water in its administrative activities. For these activities, water for consumption is largely supplied by local water and sewage utilities. Where it is not supplied by the local utility it is captured from surface or groundwater sources.

Data on water intake for administration and operations, excluding the water that flows through our turbines, is added to the IGS System. Values are taken from the utility water bills or from reading hydrometers.

In 2021, a new methodology was implemented to calculate water consumption and disposal. Where there are no hydrometers to measure water used by administration, since 2021 the volume has been estimated using the average number of full-time employees at the facility and 50 liters/day per employee. The amount of water consumed by Eletrobras companies includes water used for thermal power generation and 20% of the water used in administrative activities. The amount of water discharged by Eletrobras companies included the water flowing through the hydro plant turbines, the water returned to rivers and oceans by the thermal power plants, the amount of water used in the fish farming stations and protected areas, and about 80% of the water used in administrative activities.

In 2023 the total volume of water withdrawall was  625,173,877.08 thousands of m³, including the surface water withdrawals for use in protected areas and in aquaculture. The total water discharge was 625,162,463.86 thousands of m³. The total water consumed was  11,413.22 thousands of m³.

The water used to generate energy in hydroelectric plants is not consumed, since it is fully returned to the rivers from which it is withdrawn. In 2023, 625,135,385.32 thousands of m³ of fresh water passed througth the turbines, which represented 99.99% of our water withdrawal.

The total volume of water discharged by our subsidiaries' operations into rivers experiencing critical or very critical water stress was approximately 2,476,478.83 thousands of m³ in 2023, as measured using the methodology established by the ANA.​

Water withdrawal – administrative activities

Water withdrawal – thermal generation

Eco-efficient Water Management

Eletrobras companies have actions that aim to promote the efficient management of water resources, such as:

• ​technological management and periodic preventive maintenance, avoiding waste due to possible leakages

• modernization of buildings' hydrosanitary systems with the installation of devices to reduce the flow of water in flushes and installation of pressure taps

• monitoring the withdrawal, discharge and consumption of operational and administrative water of companies through the environmental IGS system

• discussion and continuous review of indicator protocols and development of IGS System procedures and methodologies by the Water Task Force, which includes representatives from the environmental, operational and infrastructure areas

• collection and reuse of rainwater in plants such as UHE Tucuruí, UHE Samuel of Eletronorte and in some transmission systems, for cleaning, conservation and gardening

• reuse of process water in thermoelectric generation plants in cooling towers, significantly reducing water capture

• environmental education actions in the communities surrounding its projects, aiming at rational water use practices and combating pollution.

Certification with the LEED Gold seal

The current headquarters of Eletrobras Furnas is certified with the LEED Gold seal for new construction and major renovations (LEED B+C). A reduction of around 40% in water consumption compared to conventional buildings is estimated for this type of certification. LEED BD+C provides parameters for the construction or major renovation of a sustainable building, evaluating the project and work to face environmental challenges while responding to the needs of a competitive market.

Awareness

Chesf is responsible for raising awareness among communities neighboring the projects about the importance of water, through Environmental Education and Social Communication Programs. The company reviews and updates the Annual Flood Control Plan, operational rules and guidelines for flood control, inventory of hydraulic operational restrictions, flood control manuals and information dissemination systems for basins of the rivers in question. Chesf works continuously to disseminate information to communities in the most direct and clear way possible, using the vehicles and means available and most effective in each location, considering its specific characteristics.

For more information, see Water and Effluent Management.

​Energy Consumption

Waste

* Ashes from our thermoelectric plants are not included in these figures.
Note: The waste figures are not assured by third-party.

* Ashes from our thermoelectric plants are not included in these figures. In 2018, the total amount of waste disposed included waste stored in appropriate locations, before final disposal, and did not include waste destined for reverse logistics. Until 2018, the figures did not include waste destined for reverse logistics, starting to include it from 2019. As of 2019, the figures include waste destined for reverse logistics.

Note: The waste figures are not assured by third-party.
 

Solid waste and effluents are treated by our companies in accordance with current legislation. Some of the operations have ISO 14,001 certification and undergo audits that also consider solid waste management: the Tucuruí (8,370 MW), Coaracy Nunes (78 MW), Samuel (216 MW) and Curuá-Una (12.5 MW) hydroelectric plants​) and UHE Balbina (275 MW) , all from Eletrobras Eletronorte. The Santa Cruz and Campos thermoelectric plants, both owned by Eletrobras Furnas and located in the State of Rio de Janeiro, undergo external audits to comply with state legislation.

In the process of continuous improvement of waste management and the IGS System, in 2022 we carried out a work to update the existing indicators protocols and created new indicators in order to provide more detailed data from 2023 on regarding the distinction between hazardous and non-hazardous waste. This work will provide data reporting from 2024 onwards that is more in line with the reality of the companies and will assist waste management as a whole.

In addition, possibilities for monitoring specific materials were discussed, that culminated in the creation of the indicator for mineral oil waste destined for re-refining, which data has already started to be collected in 2022. In 2023, 107,200 tons of mineral oil were made available for re-refining, returning to the production chain for other buyers.

​Materials that are no longer used by companies, but have economic value for recycling, such as scrap metal, are intended for sale. Around R$34 million reais were obtained from waste sold by CGT Eletrosul and Furnas, in 2023. Another initiative concerns the renovation of the Barão de Mauá Building, Eletrobras headquarters, where the waste arising from the execution of the work, as well as the activities will be sent to selective collection.

Ashes

All the ashes produced by operation of the coal-fired thermoelectric power plant by Eletrobras CGT Eletrosul, located in Candiota (RS), are forwarded to the recomposition of ine cave and to the cement industry. In 2023, a total of 1,143,752.86t of ashes were sent for recycling (321,416.04t) and reuse (822,336.82t). ​

​Mercury Emissions

Eletrobras CGT Eletrosul carries out annual measurements to verify the concentration of mercury in atmospheric emissions related to the operation of its coal-fired thermoelectric power plant. In 2023, 0.0525t of mercury were emitted, a value calculated from measurements taken directly from the plant chimney by isokinetic sampling.

CHECK ALSO​

• ​Solidary Selective Waste Collection ​

• Water Resources ​​