Itaipu and its mission: socio-environmental development for those who need it most.

In recent days, Itaipu Binacional has been the target of a biased article that attempts to reduce our mission to a mere spreadsheet of numbers, disconnected from reality and the transformative impact that our investments have on the lives of thousands of people. We need to clarify a fundamental point: Itaipu is not just an energy generator, it is also an agent of regional development, an institution that has historically invested in sustainability and in improving the living conditions of the communities that surround it.

There are those who mistakenly suggest that Itaipu's socio-environmental investments directly impact the energy tariff paid by consumers in the South, Southeast and Central-West regions. This information is incorrect. The tariff is defined by technical criteria and international agreements, with no relation to our investments in social development. Our mission is clear: to produce energy with socio-environmental responsibility, ensuring that development is not a privilege for a few, but a reality shared by all.

Since its creation, Itaipu has been committed to the environment and the populations living in its area of ​​influence. The first agreement signed by Itaipu was in 1974, with the Federal University of Paraná and the Government of the State of Paraná, for the preparation of the Urban Development Plan for the Municipality of Foz do Iguaçu. It was through these agreements that we revitalized riparian forests, promoted the conservation of biodiversity and encouraged sustainable solutions for energy production, such as biogas, which has changed the lives of small rural producers.

Our commitment goes far beyond mere rhetoric. Today, Itaipu is investing in all 434 municipalities in Paraná and southern Mato Grosso do Sul, in partnership with local governments, bringing structural, environmental and social improvements to millions of Brazilians. And we will not stop. Regardless of unfounded criticism, we remain firm in the belief that progress must reach those who need it most.

The biogas program, for example, is one of many examples of how Itaipu combines technology, innovation and social inclusion. Small producers, previously limited by energy constraints and high production costs, are now transforming animal waste into energy, generating income and reducing environmental impacts. This is not welfare, it is sustainable development in practice.

Another exemplary initiative is Itaipu's support for recyclable material collectors in more than 50 municipalities, including Santa Terezinha de Itaipu. Investment in infrastructure, training and organization of these cooperatives has enabled previously marginalized workers to become protagonists of a circular economy that is now being expanded to 170 cities in Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul. The impact goes far beyond recycling: it is in the dignity, in the generation of income, and in the opportunity for a better future for these families.

And what about the favelas? For some, these communities are just a number in a census. For Itaipu, they are territories full of talent, hope, and transformative potential. The Bio Favela project – CUFA and Itaipu for Life in the Favela – is proof of this. Bringing sports, culture, and professional training to these regions is investing in the future, creating paths to inclusion, and promoting opportunities for young people who, otherwise, might be forgotten by the government and society.

Criticism is always welcome when it is constructive. However, those who attack Itaipu's socio-environmental investments ignore a fundamental fact: our commitment is to people, especially those who are often invisible to some, but who for us are the key to a more just and sustainable future. Riverside dwellers, small farmers, recyclable waste pickers, slum dwellers, among many others – these are important people for Brazil's economy and who need to be present in national development projects.

Itaipu will remain steadfast in its mission to transform energy into development, with responsibility, transparency, and real impact. Our investments will continue to generate positive change, regardless of narratives that attempt to reduce this story to mere numbers. Because, for us, each project represents...