China Energy Engineering Group Co. Ltd (Energy China), along with Maturati Participações SA and Meta Serviços e Projetos Ltda of Brazil, has struck a deal worth US$381 million to build six hydroelectric power stations in the basin of the Cuiabá River in western Brazil, Energy China says.

The Chinese state-owned company announced in writing yesterday that the deal was signed in Macao last week at a videoconference forming part of the 12th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum.

Energy China says a subsidiary, China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co. Ltd., will do the building work, including laying 130 km of transmission lines linking the power stations to substations in the state of Mato Grosso.

The resulting steady supply of cleanly generated electricity will help develop manufacturing, farming and tourism, Energy China says.