1. Salto Caxias Hydroelectric Power Plant – A Tool for Regional Development Santos Antonio Fonseca dos (Proceedings, Hydro 2003, Vol. I, Croatia, pp. 165–170). Abstract This paper presents the Salto Caxias Hydroelectric Project, owned by COPEL, Companhia Paranaense de Energia, the power utility company for the state of Parana, southern Brazil. It was the first hydroelectric power plant to pass through all the new environmental regulations foreseen in the new Brazilian Constitution, and is producing electricity since the month of January of 1999. The main purpose of this paper is to detail the action taken to implement the economical development plan designed at that time, called PROCAXIAS, that is currently being carried out for the region creating jobs, helping to recover the economy of the region somehow stagnant since the early 80’s. The document will show how a small emergency pilot plan to save a small town economy developed to a regional plan comprising all the affected municipalities. The results of the implementation of this plan and the comparison of the regional economy before and after the construction of the dam is also presented. This paper shows that such a high degree of social and environment responsibility can transform what was to be a negative impact in the region in a positive action, making easier to the communities involved to accept this kind of enterprise as a part of the local society. Finally the document concludes that such an opportunity, like building a big engineer enterprise, in this case a hydropower dam, besides the negative environmental and social impacts it brings, can and must be used by the affected population as a tool for regional development, bringing economical and social advantages in the way to ensure the real sustainable development of the region. This paper concludes that such an opportunity, like building a big engineer enterprise, in this case a hydropower dam, besides the negative environmental and social impacts it brings, can and must be used by the affected population as a tool for regional development, bringing economical and social advantages in the way to ensure the real sustainable development of the region. This paper shows that such a high degree of social and environmental responsibility can transform what was to be a negative impact in the region in a positive action, making easier to the communities involved to accept this kind of enterprise as a part of the local society. The PROCAXIAS project aimed to support and promote the social and economic development of the municipalities affected by the Salto Caxias Reservoir, identifying the existent potentialities and opportunities, finding solutions for regional and local problems and necessities. Top Keywords Power, New environmental regulations, Economical development plan, Social and environmental responsibility, Social advantages, Sustainable development. Top |