Infrastructure to have US$ 152.2 billion until 2013
O Estado de S. Paulo
The great projects in the areas of electric energy and telecommunications will continue leading the expansion of the infrastructure of the country, which should receive R$ 274 billion (US$ 152.2 billion in investments over the next four years - most of the funds will be applied during the administration of the next Government. The projection is from a new study of the National Development Bank (BNDES), which foresees 37.3% of increase in the investments in the sector between 2010 and 2013 compared to the R$ 199 billion (US$ 108.7 billion) between 2005 and 2008. 2009 was not included in the comparison because the data has not been closed yet.
33.6% of the total investment for the current four-year period will come from projects of generation, transmission and distribution of energy. The R$ 92 billion (US$ 51.1 billion) foreseen until 2013 with major works, such as hydroelectric power plants in the North and the third nuclear power plant of Angra dos Reis, will mean a 35.7% increase in the sector in relation to the period between 2005 and 2008. For the technicians of the BNDES, the volume may be even bigger, since new projects may arise in the coming years, consolidating the leadership of the electric power in the infrastructure expansion. The position was held by telecommunications between 1997 and 2001 and it was being divided by both sectors.
The Bank considered that the two power plants in construction in the Madeira River (Jirau and Santo Antônio) should receive R$ 20 billion (US$ 11.1 billion) over the next four years. The Belo Monte Plant, whose bidding is scheduled for April, should have R$ 8 billion (US$ 4.4 billion) of its budget consumed during such period. They also considered R$ 8 billion (US$ 4.4 billion) foreseen in 70 wind energy projects.
Although the growth forecast of the funds for telecommunications over the next four years is nearly of stability (0.8%), the sector shall keep a strong influence in the group of structuring investments. Between 2010 and 2013, they should account for R$ 67 billion (US$ 37.2 billion), 24.5% of the volume expected for the six sectors mapped by the BNDES.
The manager of the area of Economic Research and Monitoring of the BNDES, Gilberto Borça Jr., emphasizes that energy and telecommunications will continue shaping the expansion of infrastructure in the coming years, with nearly 60% of the investments, but he stresses out the perspective of a jump in areas such as logistics and sanitation, which have been turned into an obstacle to the development of the country.