Custo ambiental: impactos econômicos dos sedimentos na geração de energia elétrica

Abstract

The environmental impacts due to erosion-sedimentation process are grouped into two categories, on site and off site. The present study will focus mainly on those impacts related to off site damages caused by sedimentation. The estimated economic value of the environmental damages will be based on effects on hydroelectric generation plants. Such effects can be classified as lost of reservoir capacity, increased maintenance and reduction in numbers of days of generation of electricity. In order to calculate the monetary values of the damages caused by siltation, loss in revenue, the replacement cost approach or decreasing productivity system method were used through run of river hydroelectric generation plants located on Sapucai River, in the state of Sao Paulo. The estimated economic damage value under severe sedimentation is quite large when related to the amount invested to construct a similar energy generation system.