Análisis de los impactos sociales de las pequeñas centrales hidroeléctricas (PCH) en las comunidades del oriente antioqueño: caso PCH el popal, municipio de Cocorná

Abstract

The objective of the present degree work is to elaborate a diagnostic proposal that allows to identify the social impacts generated by the Small Hydroelectric Power Plant El Popal in the communities of the area of influence of the municipality of Cocorná, Antioquia. This seeks to help determine the problems of this type of project and thus contribute to their improvement for the benefit of all the actors involved, especially the community that lives in the area of influence. To carry out this degree work, a documentary study was started on the evaluation of the social impacts generated by energy generation projects from the global to the local level; Then a selection was made of the social impacts to be evaluated with the communities in the area of influence of the PCH El Popal, based on the documentary study. Finally, a semi-structured interview was constructed based on the selected social impacts, which would be applied with the actors involved in the PCH El Popal in the municipality of Cocorná, Antioquia. The importance and motivation to carry out this degree work is to deepen the knowledge of the social impacts generated by the El Popal PCH, given that the generation of electricity is increasingly dependent on this type of systems. However, and according to previous research by Agudelo (2018) or Coconsciente (2017), the Cocorná community is dissatisfied that the development that these projects bring in some fields is detrimental to their social, work and family life. In this sense, these types of diagnostic proposals can contribute to the different actors in making better decisions. As conclusions of the project, the need to give continuity to this type of initiatives is highlighted, which provide elements for decision-makers to review the possibility of reinforcing the existing regulations, which give greater guarantees to the community in the area of influence of hydroelectric projects, which, as described in the state of the art, and according to the researches consulted, is the most affected socially, economically, culturally and environmentally. It is emphasized that communities are a key factor in the development of hydroelectric projects, and that is why they are key actors in the previous processes and in the development of this type of initiative.