Solar park is the target of legal action for environmental damage

Amid the rapid growth of clean energy generation in Brazil, an emblematic project in the photovoltaic sector has become the target of controversy in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte. Residents of the rural area of ​​Santana do Matos have filed a lawsuit against those responsible for implementing the Dunamis solar park, a project that supplies energy to Mercedes-Benz factories in the country.

Local residents claim that the works have caused severe environmental damage to two reservoirs that supply local communities. Families living in Sítio Forquilhas, an area neighboring the facility, claim that the earthmoving and soil movement work between 2022 and 2024 would have caused the silting of the reservoirs, compromising the quality of the water and making its use unviable.

Residents report that the sediments were carried by the rain to the reservoirs, contaminating the water with particles at levels well above the permitted level. Physical-chemical analyses carried out in March 2024 indicated a turbidity index of 285 NTUs (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit), more than 50 times above the maximum limit of 5 NTUs recommended for drinking water.

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In addition to the turbidity, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that fish died and traditional community activities, such as bathing in the reservoir, were interrupted. In total, 14 families depended directly on water from the affected reservoirs.

The residents also claim that they tried to negotiate with the company during the construction period, but in the absence of satisfactory responses, they opted to seek legal redress. The documentation presented also includes a report previously prepared, at the request of Dunamis itself, in November 2023, when the water turbidity was only 3 NTUs.

Company position

In a statement, Dunamis, a project that brings together Mercedes-Benz do Brasil and Raízen Power, states that the supply of drinking water was restored to families in May 2025. The company also disputes the origin of the contamination, claiming that analyses prior to the start of the works already indicated that the water in the region was not suitable for human consumption.

The company also highlights that it maintains an ongoing dialogue with the local community and that it develops social actions in the region, including training courses for residents, hiring local labor, stimulating the economy and collecting taxes.

The Dunamis solar park

Opened in January 2025, the Dunamis solar park occupies an area of ​​410 hectares and has an installed capacity of 117,5 MW. The complex was created to supply Mercedes-Benz's industrial operations in Brazil with clean energy.

The project reinforces Rio Grande do Norte's strategic position as one of the country's main renewable energy hubs. According to information from the project itself, the park helps to prevent the emission of around 20 tons of CO₂ per year, the equivalent of planting approximately 140 trees.

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