Redes de distribuição de energia e desenvolvimento regional na Amazônia Oriental

Abstract

There is a common belief in that electricity availability is associated with economic growth, or even with local/ regional development. This paper examines the relation between the expansion of electricity distribution networks and other logistic networks with regional development. Changes in city size and evolution of electricity consumption patterns are particularly related, and are the main indicators of such relation, pointing towards social and spatial restructuring trends in the southeast of Pará. The result is that inequalities are still present, despite the expansion of electricity distribution networks. We therefore conclude that regional development depends on the extent of logistic networks throughout the territory, although this does not assure decentralization effects nor the (re)structuring of economic activities in the southeast of Pará, particularly in the eastern Amazon area.