Environment preservation is a priority for Neoenergia. In this in mind, the company created an unprecedented solution, whose importance was recognized by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) Aiming at reducing the impacts to the environment of the construction of essential transmission lines that strengthen the electric system in Mato Grosso do Sul, provided for in Lot 4 of 005/2016 auction of the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel), the company constructed three kilometers of dunnage of (untreated) eucalyptus wood to access the transmission towers, avoiding the grounding of floodplain areas and thus contributing to preserve the local biodiversity and landscape. The use of this methodology is expected to be extended to other projects in location with similar terrain characteristics.

The solution was adopted in three stretches of the lot's transmission lines, amounting to around 200 kilometers, crossing areas of the Atlantic Forest and savanna as well as floodplain areas under the influence of Rio Paraná. For setting the dunnage, untreated eucalyptus wood logs were used, perpendicularly trussed and fixed by rebar steel pins. The need for earthworks was reduced and no removal of vegetation was required. During the transmission line construction, dunnage will be used for transportation of parts and equipment for lifting the towers and, upon the starting of the project commercial operation, it will also can be used for maintenance activities. 

“With this, we are able to protect the hydro structure and reduce the impacts to the environment, to the point that Ibama has recognized that this device is beneficial to the environment and effective from the point-of-view of construction works and recommended that this methodology shall be used in further licensed projects in Brazil", says José Anchieta, Superintendent of Environment and Land at the transmission department of Neoenergia .

The newsletter from the Environmental Licensing Office of the entity stated that, during the inspection, ecological interactions were found, as well as the presence of wild life and flora, indicating the balance in place, with aquatic plants in bloom and animals like bees and butterflies. The document confirms that dunnage has a lower impact to the landscape, showcasing that this methodology has represented a bid differential to the environment.  ​