October 22， 2025
A significant data center project in the Brazilian state of Ceará, intended to serve TikTok and developed by the Pátria group in partnership with Casa dos Ventos, is facing mounting opposition from civil society groups. The dispute centers on the project's environmental licensing process, which critics allege is advancing without proper studies or community dialogue.
The project, currently under review by the State Environmental Superintendence (Semace), is valued at an estimated 50 billion reais. It is poised to become the first major data center in Brazil for TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, serving both the local and Latin American markets. According to the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, construction is scheduled to begin within six months, with operations commencing in 2027. However, market sources indicate the contract has not yet been finalized, leaving ByteDance's capacity utilization not fully guaranteed.
Despite the government's optimistic timeline, organizations including the Consumer Defense Institute (Idec) assert the project is moving forward "without adequate socio-environmental studies or dialogue with the affected communities." Idec has filed a lawsuit challenging the licensing process. The company involved has denied these allegations, stating it has already secured key licenses for grid access and connection.
The planned facility, to be located within the Pecém Port Complex, has partnered with Casa dos Ventos to utilize renewable energy. However, industry sources have raised questions about ensuring a continuous power supply for a data center using only intermittent sources like solar and wind without a defined backup system.
Community and Environmental Grievances
The controversy has sparked a broader debate over the environmental footprint of large digital infrastructures, focusing on energy and water consumption and the rights of local communities, particularly the Anacé indigenous people.
In a recent statement, Idec warned that the project "foresees the capture of water from aquifers that supply communities already affected by water scarcity, which could aggravate the risk of shortages and put pressure on energy and water tariffs." There has been no official confirmation from the company or authorities regarding the specific water supply model.
Critics also challenge the project's environmental classification. They claim it was designated as having low impact, requiring only a Simplified Environmental Report (RAS)—a tool typically reserved for smaller projects. This classification, they argue, improperly bypassed the need for a full Environmental Impact Study and Report (EIA/RIMA) and dispensed with mandatory public hearings and review by the State Environmental Council (Coema).
Furthermore, entities representing the Anacé people assert that the community has not been consulted, an alleged violation of the Brazilian Constitution and International Labor Organization Convention 169, which guarantee the right to free, prior, and informed consultation. Opponents claim the company's plan only schedules community meetings after the installation license is issued, by which time construction could already be underway.
In response, a coalition including Idec and the Anacé people has filed a formal request with the Federal Public Ministry, demanding "the immediate suspension of the licensing process and the cancellation of the preliminary license granted by Semace." They warn that the case could set a "worrying precedent for the installation of large digital projects without proper assessment of their impacts and without respect for the rights of local populations."
SOURCE bnamericas
