Paths of History and Memory of Electrification in the Amazon: Interview with Rosa Aires and Zilma Carvalho

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to contribute to the memory of the Brazilian energy sector, specifically the history of electrification in northern Brazil, which represents a valuable part of our history, still permeated with chapters to be explored and studied in depth. Among these paths is the construction of the first hydroelectric plant in the Amazon, Itaperucu, conceived by Newton Carvalho in the 1930s. A project carried out during the transformations of the energy sector in the Estado Novo, located in the city of Carolina, State of Maranhão, its construction contributes to the understanding of the electrification process in the first half of the 20th century, the acquisition of parts/technology transfer in the interwar period, and energy expansion in the northern part of the country. To this end, an interview was conducted with Newton Carvalho's daughters, Rosa Aires and Zilma Carvalho, in April 2025, who shared documents and memories of this process, at a time when they are in the process of publishing a book on the subject.