1 November 2012: The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced an US$ 88.7 million dollar loan to Companhia Estadual de Geração e Transmissão de Energia Elétrica (CEEE-GT) that will expand hydroelectric power generation in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state.

The loan will build infrastructure to address increasing energy demand by expanding Ijuizinho II from a capacity of one megawatt (MW) to 15 MW, and rehabilitating two hydroelectric plants, the Itaúba and Passo Real. The project is also expected to prevent the release of 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. [IDB Press Release]