The Brazilian federal government is proposing a revision of the rules governing water management related to the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, which is the largest wholly Brazilian hydroelectric facility located on the Xingu River in Pará. The government argues that the changes are necessary to prioritize the country's energy security, thereby influencing the role of the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA) in the regulation of the river, which has already been subjected to a flow regime significantly different from its natural state. This alteration has consequential repercussions for the local fauna and flora as well as the livelihoods of thousands of individuals residing in the area.

Recent information from Folha indicates that the issue has become a priority for the National Council for Energy Policy (CNPE), which is an interministerial group overseen by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME). This group is tasked with establishing guidelines for the energy sector and is currently involved in discussions on how to officially recognize Belo Monte as an essential infrastructure for national energy security. The expected outcome is the publication of a new resolution that will formalize these changes and potentially create a working group to facilitate the implementation of these new guidelines.

The implications of these proposed changes could be significant, exacerbating existing tensions between the need for increased energy generation and the environmental and social impacts on the Indigenous communities and ecosystems affected by Belo Monte. Critics of the government’s plan may argue that prioritizing energy security could overlook the rights and needs of local populations and the environmental health of the region, raising questions about sustainability and equity in Brazil's energy policies.