Fullfiling History

[Paintings] [Board, Management and Addresses]

The start of Angra 2 operation turned the Ilha Grande Bay, at the beginning of this century, into the region with the largest installed nuclear power capacity in the American continent. The operation of Angra 2 confirmed the expectation regarding the reliability of its performance, being therefore a reason for pride of those who directly and indirectly took part in its construction. For us at Eletronuclear, the operation of Angra 2 alongside Angra 1 has yet another special meaning. By moving forward in the area of advanced technology, incorporating around 2000 megawatts to the national electrical power grid, we are surely fulfilling part of the region's historical importance to the Brazilian economy. For this reason, we have chosen to illustrate our 2000 Report with reproductions of paintings by Julio Artusi who has reconstituted the original aspects of important historical landmarks of Angra dos Reis in some of his works.

Despite their enormous potential, the two towns located in Eletronuclear's sphere of influence (Angra do Reis and Paraty) have as yet, due to a long period of neglect, a rather minor participation in the state of Rio de Janeiro's gross domestic product. After a period of disregard during the first half of the 20 th century, the paradisiacal setting of Ilha Grande Bay has now projects for its sustainable development. Besides the generation of nuclear energy, other activities such as tourism, ore and fuel transport, ship repair, naval construction, fishing, and other sea-related pursuits contribute to develop the local economy.

Nature is exuberant at Ilha Grande Bay, turning environmental conservation into an obligation, both individually and collectively, for those who live and work there. It was not always like that.

Ever since the first European incursions along the Brazilian coast, exploitation of the region's timber has been intensive, loading ships that found safe harbor in its most sheltered coves. Predatory fishing predominated for years and whaling was devastating for those giant sea mammals.

The occupation of Angra dos Reis by European colonizers actually began around 1556, although there are indications that Martim Afonso de Souza passed through there in 1532, establishing a trading post prior to
heading toward the Capitania de São Vicente and founding what is considered historically to be the first Brazilian settlement.

Angra became officially a town in 1608 and was first called Vila dos Reis Magos da Ilha Grande, always in reference to January 6th, the date of its discovery in 1502 by the navigator Gonçalo Coelho. In 1617, the murder of the parish priest caused the town to be moved to where it is currently located, as required by the church before another priest would be sent.

Brazil's colonial economy was always highly concentrated along the seashore due to the ease of maritime transport, as almost everything produced here was sent to European markets. Another reason for this concentration along the seashore during the first centuries of colonization was the topography of the region, with a series of mountain chains nearby the coast, which were natural obstacles blocking access to the interior. Sugarcane plantations worked by slaves flourished among the villages at Ilha Grande Bay and were partly replaced by coffee later on. There were hundreds of sugar mills. Just in the vicinity of Paraty there were some 400 mills and distilleries of which only six are operational nowadays. The name "Paraty" became synonymous with white rum in Brazil, the local product being so abundant and of such good quality. "He put on a stripped shirt and went around.

Instead of tea with biscuits, he drank Paraty…" go the lyrics of a song popularized by the singer Carmen Miranda.

The sugar and rum business would have been sufficient to keep a number of small ports busy in Ilha Grande Bay. But it was the exploitation of gold, diamonds and precious stones from Minas Gerais that provided the greatest leverage for the region's development in the 18th century. The gold also attracted English, Dutch, French and Spanish pirates who sought safe harbor at the inlets and bays or at the 365 islands, one for each day of the year, of Angra dos Reis. Several of these pirates settled permanently in the region, leading to many legends about treasures lost or hidden in Ilha Grande Bay.

The legendary presence of pirates has left traces up to the present time. The Island of George, the Greek was so named because of a pirate. The Refuge of the Corsairs is one of the places most frequented on weekends in the city of Angra. The Bat's Mansion on Ilha Grande is supposed to have belonged to the pirate Juan de Lorenzo. Dated 1629, it is catalogued as the third oldest masonry structure built in Brazil.

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