The ongoing dispute over energy generation from the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in Pará has resurfaced under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration. The Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), led by Alexandre Silveira, is advocating for the plant to be classified as strategic for national energy security in a move that has triggered concerns about environmental impacts. This discourse was recently highlighted in the National Council of Energy Policy (CNPE).

A new resolution draft, obtained by Folha, appears to grant the MME greater authority over operational decisions at the hydroelectric facility, especially regarding the hydrograph of water flow in the Xingu River. This shift would effectively allow the MME to bypass the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) and the National Water Agency (ANA), which are crucial bodies responsible for environmental regulation and water resource management. The hydrograph determines how much water from the river is diverted to the plant versus how much remains in its natural state, which is vital for indigenous communities and local ecosystems.

Critics of this move argue that expanding the MME's power poses significant risks to the health of the Xingu River ecosystem and the livelihoods of the communities that depend on it. By potentially sidelining Ibama and the ANA, the government may prioritize energy production over environmental protection, leading to a resurgence of social and ecological conflicts in the region as local populations react to the ramifications of reduced water flow and expanding hydroelectric operations.