PST SENDS OPEN LETTER TO THE DEPUTIES OF THE PORTUGUESE PARLIAMENT

The Foz Tua dam is an embarrassment and an impoverishment for our country.

Dear Deputy,

There are lies so often told that almost seem to be the truth, nevertheless they will always be just a bunch of lies. If you will be this Friday, at 3.00 pm, at the  Petition n. 274/XII/2.ª – Manifest for the Tua Valley voting, you have sure that you will be voted informed? iWhat do you know about this construction? They told you the entire story?

We know that according to the Constitution you have to pursue your mandate freely and this right is fundamental for the proper accomplishment of your position: to decide upon our lives. This is the thrust given to you by voting, that is the reason why we are writing to you.

Did you know that the project of Foz Tua will produce the scarce 0,1% of the overall energy in Portugal? And that the National Dam Program of High Hydroelectric Power (NDPHHP)will produce in the overall 0,5% of the energy consumed in Portugal (3% of the electricity)?

Did you know that over the last years the electricity consumption has been gradually reducing? In 2014 there was a decrease of 0.7% regarding 2013, and of 6.5 % regarding the maximum peak of 2010.

Did you know that even without the NDPHHP, the objectives would already have been exceeded? With the power increasing ongoing there will be 7020 MW of hydroelectric energy available (the NDPHHP estimations was 7000 MW) without any new dam.

Did you know that because of the NDPHHP and all other dams, during the next 75 concession years, we will all pay 10% more for the electricity, above the estimations already made?

Did you know that the seven dams that have been contracted to privates are economically unsustainable without public founding, distorting clearly the rules of the free competitive and regulated market?  And did you know that the current Portuguese government, on the the list of projects  applied to the Juncker Plan, requested an amount of €1.210 million for the construction of seven dams?

Did you know that the reservoir will destroy the Tua historic railway line, agricultural land and rare river habits, endangering protected as well as threatened species?

Did you know that to create a permanent workplace in tourism in the Tua Valley is 11 times cheaper than to create one in the dam?

The Foz Tua dam is not needed. It is a good deal for construction and energy companies and banks but it does not bring any benefit for the regional development neither the national interest.

People are tired of investments said to be of public interest that aren’t in fact of any public benefit. The Foz Tua project, as well as the NDP, is just another Public and Private Partnership in disguise, to make some richer, forcing the consumers and the State to pay heavy charges to the detriment of essential public utilities.

We ask you to use the mandate given to you to correct this economic, environmental, cultural and social attack . Vote in favor the Petition nr. 274/XII/2nd – Manifest for Tua Valley to:
a) suspend forthwith the works of the Foz Tua dam;
b) Revoke the Ordinance nr. 251/2012, which provides the allocation of 300 million euros of non-repayable subsidies to power companies to build new dams;
c) Reopening the Tua Line classification process, to Monument of National Interest.