friday, august 24, 2012
Belo Monte Hydroelectric Project
Work on the $16 billion Belo Monte hydroelectric project in the Brazilian Amazon was halted last week with a ruling by a federal judge that the project's licenses were obtained improperly. Officials with the consortium building the dam, Norte Energia, said they planned to appeal to the country’s Supreme Court.On Aug. 14, Judge Souza Prudente found that the required consultations with indigenous groups were done by federal agencies rather than the Brazilian government itself making them invalid. Norte Energia said that while they were confident the ruling would be reversed, an overlong delay would limit the amount of work possible before the rainy season.
My story on the ruling, Brazilian Court Halts Belo Monte Dam Construction, is in this week's issue of Engineering News-Record.
thursday, march 01, 2012
Brazil Airports
Brazil awarded operating concessions for three of the country's largest airports to a trio of international consortiums. The partial privatization of the facilities is part of a larger push to upgrade the country's critical transportation infrastructure in anticipation of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics that will be held in Brazil.The trio of contracts netted Brazil $14.3 billion—almost three and a half times the minimum set by the government. All include substantial upgrades to São Paulo’s Guarulhos airport, Viracopos Airport in Campinas and President Juscelino Kubitschek Airport in Brasilia.
My story on the auction, Brazil Privatizes Three Major Airports, is in this week's issue of Engineering News-Record.
read more
monday, february 13, 2012
Points South: Brazil Building Collapse Highlights Infrastructure Concerns
Like many countries in Latin America, Brazil has enjoyed spectacular growth over the past few decades but the rapid advancement has often outstripped the country’s ability to keep up. While the population of major urban areas has relentlessly expanded the authorities have struggled to provide the necessary infrastructure the development demands. Upgrades have been piecemeal and oversight has been spotty as well.The result has been a string of disasters which have sharpened concerns about the country's investment in infrastructure. These have occurred despite billions of dollars of investment into housing and transportation over the past several years.
My post about the topic Brazil Building Collapse Highlights Infrastructure Concerns is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
monday, january 30, 2012
Rio de Janeiro Building Collapse
At 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 a 20-story building in the historic center of Rio de Janeiro suddenly collapsed crushing two smaller structures. A total of 17 people died in the accident and authorities say five others remain missing.The Liberty Building was a 70-year-old structure that recently had undergone at least two remodeling projects the city says were never properly approved. The building operators and the company who performed the renovations say no such approval is necessary.
An investigation by the Brazilian Federal police and the agency overseeing building construction in Rio are conducting inquiries into the cause of the accident.
My story on the collapse, Rio Officials Probe Cause of Fatal Building Collapse, is in the current edition of Engineering-News Record.
wednesday, august 03, 2011
Brazil's High Speed Rail Project
An ambitious $21.3 billion high speed rail project designed to link Brazil's two largest metropolitan areas, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, was sidetracked no offers were presented at auction for the work last month.The 510-kilometer Trem de Alta Velocidade Rio-São Paulo was initially planned to be in place for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, both hosted by Brazil.
While government officials say they will tweak the contracts and hold another bid later this year, the project's six-year construction schedule makes it unlikely more than portions of the rail line will be in place for the two events.
My story on the project, Lack of Bids Stymies $21B High-Speed Rail Project in Brazil, is in the current edition of Engineering-News Record.
tuesday, june 28, 2011
Points South: A Major Dam Project Shelved
Ollanta Humala won Peru’s presidency promising to champion indigenous rights and promote economic growth. The shutdown of a $4 billion hydroelectric project in the Amazon presents the dangers on both sides for the new head of state.Already the energy ministry has announced no further concession to build the dam will be granted without consultation with indigenous groups and those groups have been clear they oppose any efforts to restart the Inambari effort. And the hydro initiative is only one of a series of major projects that have drawn the focus of protests across Peru since Spring.
My post about the topic A Major Dam Project Shelved As Peru’s New President Takes Over is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
thursday, june 16, 2011
The Transnordestina Railroad
A $3.21 billion railroad project slated to revive northeast Brazil's lagging infrastructure in the face of a massive development boom is underway and slated for completion by 2012.The 1,728-kilometer Transnordestina line will link the city of Eliseu Martins in the region’s interior to the ports of Pecém and Suape on the coast. When the project reaches its full capacity in 2019 that is expected to reach 30 million tonnes of grains, iron ore and minerals, such as gypsum, from the interior of the region each year.
Brazilian steelmaker Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional is backing the project and construction giant Odebrecht is building a large portion of the railway.
My story on the project, Brazilian $3.21 Billion Rail Revitalization Project Tracks for 2012 Arrival, is in the current edition of Engineering-News Record and a slideshow is available on the ENR.com website.
monday, march 14, 2011
The San Antonio Hydroelectric Project
The $9 billion San Antonio Hydroelectric Project on the Madiera River in the Brazlian Amazon is preparing to begin installing the first of 44 one-of-a-kind massive bulb turbines that will provide 3,150 MW to Brazil's energy grid.When completed in 2015, the 3,150 MW will be the largest run-of-the-river dams in the world (although it is expected to be eclipsed by the nearby 3,300 MW Jirau dam slated to be finished the following year).
The Odebrecht-led consortium begain on the San Antonio project in 2008 and has been concentrated on the two banks of the river. During the summer, the waterway will be routed through the almost-completed spillway and work will begin on the portion that makes up the current riverbed.
My story on the project, Brazil's Unique Bulb Turbines Under Way, is in the current edition of Engineering-News Record and a slideshow is available on the ENR.com website.
monday, december 27, 2010
Points South: South American Cities Still Struggle With Shantytowns
Almost every major South American city suffers its shantytown. Massive population shifts and insufficient low-cost housing have created vast satellite cities around metropolitan centers that are beset by poverty, crime and dire lack of infrastructure.Over the past several decades, rural populations and immigrants descended on metropolitan areas looking for jobs and better living conditions. As the number of new arrivals dwarfed the existing housing, massive land-grabs of unused real estate occurred. The legal limbo often creates a situation for criminal gangs to take over and use the shantytowns as their base of operations.
My post about the topic South American Cities Still Struggle With Shantytowns is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
tuesday, december 07, 2010
Points South: Brazil Braves the Dangers of Deep Water
While the United States has sought to curtail oil exploration in its waters due to concerns about safety and oversight in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Brazil is moving to ramp up its efforts to exploit newly discovered fields in the south Atlantic.The Tupi and Libra fields are at locations where the depth the ocean reaches of 3 kilometers or more. The oil is then held in pockets of a salt layer more than 4 km underground. As a result, extracting the oil is a highly risky endeavor and the country has only begun to put the regulations in place to monitor it.
My post about the topic Brazil Braves the Dangers of Deep Water is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
wednesday, october 27, 2010
The Manaus-Iranduba Bridge
The $400 million Manaus-Iranduba Bridge in Brazil is set for completion by the end of the year. The 3,600-meter-long span across one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon, Rio Negro, will be one of the longest in the South American country.The structure, which boasts a 400-meter-long cable-stayed central section, is being built by Rio Negro Consortium, a joint venture of Camargo Correa and Construbase who started work in 2008 after winning the contract from the Amazonas state government.
The bridge is expected to spur development in the remote reaches of western Brazil but environmentalists are concerned that will lead to destruction of the tropical rainforest as well.My story on the project, Rio Negro Bridge, $400-Million Economic Link, Opens in Amazon Basin, is in this week's issue of Engineering News-Record.
wednesday, april 28, 2010
The Belo Monte Dam
The 11.2 GW Belo Monte hydroelectric project on the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon is one of the most ambitious energy generation projects being undertaken on the planet - and one of the most controversial.On April 20, a nine-company consortium, Norte Energia, won the right to build the $11 billion project. The group is led by Compania Hidro Eletrica do Sao Francisco (CHESF), a unit of state-run Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA.
The dam, a run-of-river scheme designed to buffer the environmental impact of the project, is expected to take five years to build and will be the third-largest hydro facility in the world when completed.
Opposition to the scheme has been strong since it was initially proposed in the mid-1980s. As Brazil's electricity regulating agency Aneel awarded the job, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the agency's Brasilia headquarters and vowed to fight the project. read more
wednesday, april 21, 2010
Points South: The 50th Anniversary of Brazil's Capital City
A half-century ago, Brazil inaugurated its unique capitol city, Brasilia. Designed by the world renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer, urban planner Lucio Costa, and landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, the capital was envisioned as one of the greatest planned metropolitan centers ever built.It's bold use of curvature and concrete were believed to be an exciting vision of the future. Today, much of the architecture seems somewhat dated but somehow retains it's sweep and power.
My post about the city and its origins The 50th Anniversary of Brazil's Unique Capital City is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
wednesday, march 31, 2010
South America Power Transmission
Last year, Brazil was hit by a massive blackout that plunged two-thirds of the country into darkness for hours. In March, Chile suffered a power outage that left almost 80 percent of the population without power for hours.Both incidents occurred when a localized failure in the power grid led to a chain reaction that caused a widespread failure in the country's transmission system. They serve as a warning for many countries in the region that have let the power grids languish while infrastructure development has been focused elsewhere.
Brazil and Peru are examples of two countries that have poured billions of dollars into the electric power grid infrastructure in an effort to stave off blackouts in the coming years. My story, In South America, Trouble on the Line, is in this week's Engineering News-Record.
wednesday, march 10, 2010
Points South: The Refinery Revolution
Brazil and Venezuela are slated to invest billions into refinery projects in order to take advantage of the two country's oil largesse.While the two are in agreement on the need for such facilities, the rationales are quite different. Brazil is looking to capitalize on the output from recent major oil discoveries while Venezuela is looking to shore up a shortfall that is crippling its potential output.
My post about the topic The Refinery Revolution is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
monday, february 22, 2010
Points South: Power, Progress Bolster Latin American Ties
Surging demand for power has pushed many Latin American countries to the limits of their power generation and transmission capacity. So when weather-related problems arise like they have in recent months the effect is magnified dramatically.Countries across the continent have their hands full trying to handle the problem and the almost certainty that it will only increase going forward as population and economic conditions accelerate.
My post about the topic Power, Progress Bolster Latin American Ties is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
friday, january 15, 2010
Points South: The Activist Who Understood Brazil's Rivers
Earlier this year Glenn Switkes, the regional go-to man for a Berkley-based activist group International Rivers, of complications from lung cancer. Glenn knew everything there was to know about the convoluted process Brazil employs to get big hydroelectric projects built. I was lucky enough to cross paths with him when I began covering the same topic for ENR.One of the things Glenn showed me that just because someone might be on the opposite side of the discussion I’m writing about, there’s a hell of lot I could learn if I kept my mouth shut and listened. He knew the system inside out and was always ready to answer my questions about it, even if the story I was writing was about progress on a project he vehemently despised.
My post about Glenn The Activist Who Understood Brazil's Rivers and Dams is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
thursday, december 24, 2009
The Brazil Energy Handbook
For the past several months I've been working on a project examining the Brazil Energy sector. The result is the Brazil Energy Handbook which is going to print this month.The handbook is a sweeping overview of Brazil's diverse energy production sectors from the impact of the vast new offshore oil discoveries to the dependence on hydroelectric dams in the Amazon Basin.
Brazil's recent economic prosperity has proven resilient against the global economic downturn, but that has also mean the country's energy demand continues to grow as well. The government has balanced the need to increase the Brazil's energy production with controlling the trend of privatizing the key industries overseeing those sectors.
The Brazil Energy Handbook is one of a series of magazines published by PSI Media of Las Vegas, Nevada. The company's flagship publication is the Combined Cycle Journal, a quarterly magazine aimed at the gas turbine-based power generation sector.
monday, october 05, 2009
Points South: Brazil Ties Its Fortunes to Hosting Big Games
This week, Brazil was announced as the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Two years ago, the country was named the host of the 2014 World Cup – making it only the fifth time to host the event on two occasions (the 1950 World Cup was held there).The timing has been providential. Much like the rest of the world, Brazil’s economy was battered by the economic downturn. Yet the South American giant has been able to restore prosperity at a surprising pace.
My post about the topic Brazil Ties Its Fortunes to Hosting Big Games is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
friday, march 27, 2009
Camargo Correa
A year-long investigation into corruption involving Camargo Correa, one of the largest construction firms in South America, came to a head on Wednesday when Brazilian federal police raided the firm's Sao Paulo headquarters and arrested four directors.The company is accused of various financial crimes as well as bribing public officials. According to the Brazilian federal prosecutor's office Camargo officials were laundering money through a system of fake companies and illegal currency traders.
In a statement released Thursday, Camargo Correa said they were "perplexed" by the accusations and insisted all of their business transactions were legal and proper.
My story on the situation, Brazilian Construction Giant Camargo Correa Hit With Corruption Charges is in this week's edition of Engineering News-Record.
monday, march 16, 2009
Points South: New U.S. Policy for Latin America Emerges
In the past two months, since President Obama’s inauguration, observers have been waiting to see what approach the new administration would take toward the rest of the hemisphere.That apprehension began to be answered last week with a slew of moves by the White House in terms of Latin American Policy. There has been a sense of optimism with the new administration that relations between the US and the rest of the hemisphere will move off the back burner of foreign policy.
My post about the topic New U.S. Policy for Latin America Emerges is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
thursday, march 12, 2009
Latin America Infrastructure Development
Nations across South and Central America are taking a recognizable tack in their efforts to stave of financial collapse - stimulus packages. Notably, multi-billion dollar programs that emphasize infrastructure development.Brazil has inaugurated a $270 billion effort and is preparing a program to construct 1 million homes for low income families. Argentina is preparing a $21 billion package, Peru has pledged $3.3 billion and Chile is planning to spend $4 billion. To this effort the World Bank has said it will provide $100 in financial support for developing nations, of which a third is likely to go to infrastructure.
My story on the situation, Latin America Pinning Recovery On Infrastructure Spending Plans, is at ENR.com.
tuesday, january 27, 2009
Points South: Cold Hard Cash
The global credit crunch has made a virtue of liquidity while, at the same time, making the availability of cash somewhat limited. The situation has created a dramatic turn of events for countries in South America where many countries are struggling to find solutions to problems unheard of just six months ago.Several nations which have been struck hard by the drop in commodity prices -- including Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador and Brazil -- have sought financial relief by acquiring financial reserves typically left off-limits to ensure economic stability. The moves could have dire repercussions down the road.
My post about the topic Cold Hard Cash is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
tuesday, january 20, 2009
Points South: Brazil’s Bets on Infrastructure
The global economic downturn popped up in Brazil last year and, like many other heads of state, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was quick to respond with a stimulus package.Brazil’s primary problem is pretty much the same as the rest of the world – lack of credit. The evaporation of credit worldwide has made it difficult for emerging economies to gain the capital needed to implement infrastructure and social programs needed for growth. To get things moving again, Lula has unveiled a series of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure initiatives in the past few months.
My post about the topic Brazil’s Bets on Infrastructure is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
wednesday, january 14, 2009
Points South: Setting the Bar for Steel
The global economic downturn has savaged steel prices leaving steelmakers feeling the pinch.A cut in ore prices will help them recoup their losses and spur production needed in the construction sector that depends heavily on steel. While a cut in iron ore prices will help these efforts on the side of the steelmakers, they could threaten the financial well-being of the mining companies if taken too far. That, in turn, could jeopardize massive infrastructure efforts proposed by exporting countries.
My post about the topic Setting the Bar for Steel is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
thursday, january 08, 2009
Points South: The Uncertain Outlook for Commodities
As 2009 begins with a mighty lurch and roll toward a rather ominous unknown given the economic turmoil of the past several months. For construction worldwide the big question remains in the fate of commodities – whither goest they goeth the fate of the industry.The 2008 global credit crisis sparked a plunge in commodity prices which fell 36 percent in the resulting drop in demand. Many items such as oil, natural gas and copper reached historic highs during mid-summer before plummeting to dismal lows by the end of the year. That was dour news for Latin American countries whose economies depend on those items.
My post about the topic The Uncertain Outlook for Commodities is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
thursday, october 02, 2008
Points South: Developing Economies Keep a Nervous Eye on China
China's unprecedented era of growth in the construction sector has fueled a ravenous demand for commodities. That boom, in turn, led to skyrocking prices for base metals has pushed Peru, Chile and Brazil (not to mention Australia) into new eras of prosperity.But the global economic slowdown has arrived in the East and the slowdown in China's construction sector has led to a drop in commodity prices. Even worse, the pressure on Chinese financial system grappling with the worldwide credit crunch suggests the situation isn't likely to turn around soon.
My post on the topic Developing Economies Keep a Nervous Eye on China is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
monday, september 01, 2008
Points South: The Nuclear Option Gains Steam in South America
As South America's population and prosperity have grown so to have the energy demands of the region. Efforts to construct massive coal and hydroelectric plants have staved off catastrophe thus far but the ongoing controversy of those sources has sent policymakers looking for other options.More and more, South American countries are considering nuclear power. Brazil already has a nuclear power plant and is expanding its capacity. Argentina and Venezuela have also expressed interest in developing nuclear power to meet their growing energy needs. And, as expected, the issue has sparked a debate on the safety and feasibility of the energy source.
My post on the topic The Nuclear Option Gains Steam in South America is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
thursday, july 03, 2008
Brazil's Infrastructure Boom
Brazil is booming. The surge in commodity prices internationally has filled the countries coffers and sparked an unprecedented surge in infrastructure development. But the increasing number of big ticket projects, such as the Mario Covas Beltway and Linea Amarela (or Line 4) subway line in Sao Paulo, may be too little too late.My story on Brazil's growing construction sector, Explosive Growth Sparks Brazil's Booming Infrastructure Boom is in this week's Engineering News-Record. It is accompanied by the story, Bursting at the Seams, São Paulo Overhauls, examining the situation in the country's largest city.
My interview with Marcelo Odebrecht, the president of , Construtora Norberto Odebrecht, Brazil’s Largest Contractor Looks at the Region is on ENR.com as well as a two-minute slideshow looking at the situation.
thursday, july 03, 2008
Madeira River Hydroelectric Project
The Madeira River Hydroelectric Project is a controversial effort to build two of the world's largest run-of-the-river dams on one of Brazil's most sensitive jungle regions. When the $10.5 billion effort is completed in 2014 it will provide about 6,450 MW to the country's energy grid - about an eighth of the total.Brazil is facing the very real possibility of severe electricity shortages in the next five years if steps are not taken to address the problem. About 80 percent of Brazil’s energy comes from hydroelectricity although its current output hovers around 75,000 MW, less than 30 percent of the estimated potentential.
The government has no less than seven major projects in development all in the $10 billion range but those plans have sparked concerns that the country is systematicly destroying some of it's most pristine areas of the Amazonian basin. read more
wednesday, july 02, 2008
Points South: Brazil Prepares for the Big Game
In Brazil, soccer is king. The country boasts five world champion trophies are the most held by any nation and their team regularly contends far into almost every competition it plays in. But now, for the first time since 1950, it will be the host for the sport’s most revered tournament – the World Cup.Last October, FIFA, the international governing body of the sport awarded Brazil the 2014 games. Cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janiero have already undertaken major infrastructure improvement programs with multi-billion dollar pricetags. Many of these will be wrapping up in time for the World Cup but there is limited time for new projects to be completed before the first matches.
My post on the country's preparations, Brazil Prepares for the Big Game is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
monday, june 23, 2008
Points South: Brazilian Construction Firms Look to Africa
The expanse of the South Atlantic has separated Brazil and Africa for billions of years but an effort to bridge the gap has been gaining speed in recently. Over the last five years a number of Brazilian construction firms have been aggressively seeking out opportunities in countries across the African continent.Africa, the Brazilians believe, is primed for a major burst of infrastructure development and they are aiming to get in on the ground floor. Their experience working in the developing regions of Latin America is a key element of their strategy. Managing the risks of such operations is par for the course to them.
My post on the topic Into Africa - Brazilian Construction Firms Look East is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
wednesday, april 16, 2008
Points South: South American Flooding Pushes Infrastructure to the Brink
For the past four months South America has been struggling to cope with massive rainfalls which have claimed hundreds of lives, left thousands homeless and pushed infrastructure to the brink.The countries most severely affected have been Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. In addition, northwest Argentina and the Brazilian Amazon have also seen localized by flooding. While emergency resources are already being pushed to the brink by the inclement weather, forecasters say they expect the situation to continue through July.
My post on the topic South American Flooding Pushes Infrastructure to the Brink is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
monday, february 25, 2008
Points South: The South American Energy Impasse
Rising energy demands have pushed the generation capacity of Brazil and Argentina to the brink and the fuel to meet the increased need -- typically produced by Bolivia -- is becoming scarcer. The situation is so critical that the leaders of three countries held a mini-summit over the weekend to resolve the issue.Whatever the outcome, Brazil and Argentina are already making long-term plans to handle the continued decline in availability of the resource from their Andean neighbor. Both are pouring millions into new natural gas procurement and transportation facilities as well as looking at other energy sources.
My post on the topic The South American Energy Impasse is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
monday, december 03, 2007
Points South: What's Next for Hugo Chavez?
While his referendum to further his hold on Venezuela failed it is doubtful that Hugo Chavez is going to be a different leader. But his country's situation may be changing despite him. For the first time since his rise to power almost a decade ago, Venezuela’s fiery leader suffered his first defeat at the ballot box last Sunday.Chavez has consolidated power even further in recent months by nationalizing a raft of foreign businesses and threatening to take over even more. The engine of his strategy is Venezuela's massive oil largesse but recent offshore discoveries in Brazil threaten to erode Chavez' corner on the commodity in the hemisphere.
My post on the topic What's Next for Hugo Chavez? is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
wednesday, october 03, 2007
Points South: Watching out for South America's Rivers
As energy demands across South America have increased in recent decades, governments have pursued large-scale power generating schemes. Massive hydroelectric projects have been fast-tracked with minimal oversight. Glen Switkes of Berkley, California-based International Rivers Network is one of the region's watchdog organizations, organizing efforts demanding greater accountability on these projects.Too often, the group says, governments are overlooking the downside of hydroelectric development such as the flooding of native forests, the blocking of fish migrations and the fact they present a barriers for the spreading of sediments which are important for enriching floodplains downstream.
My interview with Switkes Watching out for South America's Rivers is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
monday, august 13, 2007
Points South: An OPEC for natural gas?
Three Latin American countries, Venezuela, Bolivia and Argentina, have come together to create the Organization of Gas Producing and Exporting Countries of South America (Opegasur). The energy alliance is a first step at creating an OPEC-like coalition for natural gas that may eventually include Russia and Iran.While the likelihood of success on the global level is small, the creation of a cooperating coalition within the continent would certainly be feasible and help Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez extend his power over the region.
My post about the topic An OPEC for natural gas? is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
wednesday, august 08, 2007
Points South: Bolstering Latin America's airport infrastructure
As the economic fortunes of various Latin American countries have improved the demand for air travel has surged as well and, in almost every case, outstripping the rapidly aging infrastructure for that service. With limited upgrades to the existing facilities, delays and flight cancellations have become a constant annoyance.Some countries, such as Brazil, Mexico and Peru, have experimented with privatizing airport services and almost all have belatedly poured funding into infrastructure due to concerns about travel safety. Particularly in those countries who are dependent on tourism.
My post about the topic Bolstering Latin America's airport infrastructure is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
monday, july 30, 2007
Points South: Brazil's Battle with Corruption
For years, Brazil - like many South American countries - has battled against the stigma of corruption but scandals still emerge with clocklike regularity. And construction projects, due to their sizable price tags, are notoriously susceptible to such activities.With a languid 4 percent growth rate, the country is in danger of falling behind many local economies as well as on the world stage unless reforms are made. Yet scandals stall the government's policy reforms since congressional hearings and investigations tend to dominate the legislative agenda.
My post about the topic is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction at ENR.com.
wednesday, may 09, 2007
Campos Novos Dam
The troubled $554.4 million Campos Novos Hydroelectric Project went online last month after months of delays and setbacks.In June of last year 1.2 billion cubic meters of water in the reservoir escaped downstream follwing a failure in one of the diversion tunnels built to divert water from the Canoas River around the structure during construction. Water flowed 15 miles downstream where it was captured in the reservoir of the 1,450-MW Machadinho hydroelectric dam.
Engineers with the Brazilan construction company Camargo Corrêa re-plugged the tunnels in November and the reservoir was refilled by March 1 of this year. The last of the three generators went on-line on April 30.
My story, Diversion Tunnel Plugged, Brazilian Dam Goes Online, is in this week's issue of Engineering News-Record.
thursday, february 22, 2007
Camargo Corrêa
Camargo Corrêa is one of the largest construction firms in South America - netting more than $4.3 billion in 2005 - but little known outside of its home country.Founded in 1939 by former road laborer Sebastiao Ferraz de Camargo Penteado, the firm became one of the largest in Brazil by focusing on infrastructure development – particularly large hydroelectric projects.
But that has changed dramatically as the company has taken on a strategy of diversifciation as a means to ensure growth in the face of uncertain financial prospects that can occur in the region. A good part of this has come in fields closely associated with construction but there are a few notable exceptions.
One of the most interesting is the firm's majority stake in São Paulo Alpargatas, a company that makes plastic sandals, or flip-flops. The Havaianas brand sandals are immensely popular in Brazil and revinues in 2005 reached $636 million – up 20 percent from the year prior. read more
monday, january 22, 2007
Sao Paulo Metropolitan Subway Line No. 4
On Friday, Jan. 12, a subway station under construction in São Paulo, Brazil unexpectedly caved in. Seven people, pedestrians and passengers in a minibus, were killed.The accident occured at the Pinheiros Station, part of a $1.4 billion expansion the São Paulo subway system.The Linea 4 expansion project is being built by the Consórcio Via Amarela, a consortium lead by Brazilian construction giants, Camargo Correa and Odebrecht. Slated for completion in 2012, includes the excavation of a 12.8 kilometer tunnel as well as the construction of 11 subway stations.
Last year I had the opportunity to tour this massive project - the top photograph of the Butanta Station was taken during that visit - most of which continues under construction while recovery efforts at the Pinheiros Station proceed. My story on the incident and the project itself, Brazilians Seek Cause of São Paulo Metro Disaster, is in this week's edition of Engineering News-Record. In addition, my slideshow presentation about the project is now online as well.
friday, december 15, 2006
Points South: Brazil's Lula Says Second Term Will Boost Infrastructure
With the second term of Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva beginning, the emphasis on infrastructure development is expected to be a key aspect of his ability to keep the country moving forward.Lula's success in stabilizing the country's economic situation during his first term has hinged on taming inflation and trimming the budget gap. Now to move forward the country must invest in infrastructure -- one of the key governors on future growth.
My post on the topic Brazil's Lula Says Second Term Will Boost Infrastructure
is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
thursday, october 12, 2006
Campos Novos Dam
While work to repair the trouble-plagued Campos Novos dam in Southern Brazil has accelerated in recent weeks, the questions over how much repairs and pentalties the company constructing the structure continue to loom over the effort.The $554.4 million project was imperiled in July when 1.2 billion cubic meters of water in the reservoir escaped downstream. The incident was due to a failure in one of the diversion tunnels that routed water from the Canoas River around the structure during construction.
Most experts agree that the structure itself is sound and will be able to function without problems once the diversion tunnel problem is solved.
Over the past two months, workers have removed the plugs in the functioning tunnel and, late last month, reopened it to receive water from the river. The next step will be to install installing a temporary 13-meter thick concrete plug to stop all water from flowing into the defective tunnel. Then a permanent plug 33 meter will be built behind it. read more
tuesday, october 03, 2006
Points South: Time for a Change
One of the most jarring contrasts between life in South America and the United States is the difference in how the two societies precieve time. Very often different cultures often have dramatically different perceptions of time, which he divides into "event time" and "clock time." The former, common in Latin America, conducts life as events occur while the latter adheres to schedules that organize eventsFor U.S. businesses interested in becoming involved in Latin America this divide can be a formidable obstacle. Moreover, many in the region are starting to understand how much it can dampen their ability to catch up with more developed countries.
My post on the topic Time for a Change is over at Points South, my blog on Latin American construction for ENR.com.
friday, july 28, 2006
Campos Novos Dam
The consortium led by the Brazilian construction giant Camargo Corrêa has said it will take a minimum of five months to complete repairs to the Campos Novos dam that failed a month ago.The $554.4-million dam was slated to go fully on-line this month but on June 19, two of three gates on a diversion tunnel built to divert the flow of the Canoas River failed. Officials now estimate more than 1 billion cubic meters of water from the reservoir flowed downstream and was captured by the reservoir for another recently built dam.
The cause of the diversion tunnel failure and the cracks on the concrete face of the dam that alarmed observers have not been precisely identified, company officials said. But more information is expected to be released in early August when a report is presented to the Brazilian energy agency ANEEL. read more
wednesday, july 05, 2006
Campos Novos Dam
The recently-completed 626-foot tall Campos Novos dam in the Santa Catarina region of southern Brazil is the world’s third tallest concrete-faced rockfill dam and the second tallest in the country.The future of the $554.4 million 880-Megawatt hydroelectric project is uncertain after the reservoir unexpectedly drained late last month. On June 19, two gates in a diversion tunnel used during the construction of the dam gave way allowing the 1.2 billion cubic meters of water to escape downstream. Concerns grew after an environmental group conducted a fly-over and released photos of the structure that seem to indicate significant damage.
Officials with, Camargo Corrêa, the builder and the Inter-American Development Bank, who helped finance it, downplayed the importance of the photos and said the main problem was with the diversion tunnels. My story on the incident, Gates fail on big Brazilian dam, is currently on the Engineering News-Record website.