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Dams are critical infrastructures that provide renewable energy, water supply, and flood control, but they also pose potential risks to surrounding communities if not properly managed. Located on the Xingu River in the state of Pará, northern Brazil, the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant is the 4th largest hydroelectric power plant in the world by installed capacity. It ranks behind: 

• Three Gorges Dam (China) 

• Baihetan Dam (China) 

• Itaipu Dam (Brazil/Paraguay) 

Norte Energia, which holds the concession for the Belo Monte plant, supplies energy to 60 million Brazilians thanks to its capacity of 11,233.1 MW, covering up to 12% of Brazil’s electricity demand.  

Belo Monte generates clean renewable energy using modern technologies and is known for its emphasis on operational performance and safety. For this reason, they opted for the most advanced acoustic warning system, sirens from Telegrafia. Their system includes various types of sirens with different sound pressure levels to ensure maximum coverage and clarity. Specifically: 

• 21 compact electronic Bono sirens 

• 21 long-range Pavian sirens 

• Vektra® Warning control software 

• A backup control panel OCP16 

In addition to basic functionalities such as alarm playback, live voice announcements, and backup power, the system also features advanced modern functions such as:  

• Full auto diagnostics 

• Remotely changeable audio recordings 

• Digital audio processing 

• Battery balancing 

• Automatic messaging from sirens to the control center in case of serious issues. Asynchronous messages are sent from sirens to the OCP and Vektra Warning without being requested (the siren independently informs the operator about important or critical statuses.) 

• Activation reports including which alarms were activated and when, including regular tests 

• A timer function that enables automatic execution of predefined actions such as system tests, or alarm triggering. 

• Ability to create voice recordings via OCP microphone, listen and verify before sending and activating 

• Playback from USB or external input (e.g., mobile phone) 

• Silent testing of selected or all the devices in the system 

As part of the Dam Safety Plan (PSB) and Emergency Action Plan (PAE), implemented by Norte Energia in cooperation with local and national civil protection authorities, simulated dam safety exercises are conducted. 

These exercises include: 

• Activation of emergency sirens 

• Demonstration and targeting at strategic points 

• Evacuation of employees and residents to safe zones 

• Coordination with emergency response units, including state and local civil protection, police, and firefighters 

Both plant employees and residents from surrounding communities participate in the drills and receive prior training on emergency procedures. This implementation highlights the importance of reliable and modern technology in responsibly protecting both employees and nearby communities around one of the world’s largest hydroelectric infrastructures. By combining innovation with responsibility, Belo Monte demonstrates how sustainable energy and community safety can go hand in hand. 

The article was written by

Petra Rychtarcikova

Petra is an international business manager in charge of Spanish, French and Portuguese-speaking countries. Petra, with her global, economic and logistic background and knowledge of four languages, does very productive and responsible work for Telegrafia. Latin-American affairs, travelling, tourism and electronic sirens are her hobbies, and she is pleased to bring you exciting information from the Telegrafia world.