A "platform" model is proposed under which all people and material would be moved by river or by helicopter, avoiding the need to build access roads and the consequent inflow of settlers and environmental damage.

[4] The dams are part of a plan to convert the Tapajos into a waterway for barges to take soybeans from Mato Grosso to the Amazon River ports.

[2] The concept of building hydroelectric power plants in a similar way to offshore oil platforms was developed in 2004–05 planning sessions attended by Minister of the Environment Carlos Minc.

[2] The project would affect at least 32 communities and 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi) of indigenous territory, mostly occupied by people of the Munduruku ethnic group.

[9] As of 2010 Eletronorte had not applied for registration with the National Electricity Agency to start feasibility studies for the Chacorão plant, since it would flood parts of the Mundurucu and Sai-Cinza indigenous territories.

Taking into account the cost of the transmission system they concluded that the project was not cost-effective even when excluding factors such as loss of fishing and tourism revenue, water quality degradation and carbon emissions.

[2] In 2009 Eletronorte, Camargo Corrêa and CNEC Engenharia undertook hydraulic inventory studies of the Tapajós and Jamanxim Rivers, which were approved by the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (Aneel).

[16] By 2010 the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) had started the licensing process for five dams on the Tapajós with a total reservoir area of about 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi).

[17] The MPF asked that the Munduruku Indians and the directly affected ribeirinhos communities first be consulted, as required by the International Labor Organization's Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989, to which Brazil subscribed in 2002.

The MPF stated that the armed operation violated human rights, prevented any chance of dialog in good faith and would tend to create confrontation.

[21] On 12 August 2013 the Tapajós Study Group, which is responsible for analyzing the environmental viability of the hydroelectric projects on the river, was authorized by the federal government to resume research on the fauna and flora of the region.

Other members of the study group are Eletronorte, GDF Suez, CEMIG, Copel, Neoenergia, Électricité de France, Endesa Brasil and Camargo Corrêa.

[23] In June 2015 it was announced that the auction of the São Luiz do Tapajós hydroelectric plant would not be held in 2015 as intended due to licensing problems, but was expected to take place in 2016.

[25] After long delays, on 19 April 2016 the Fundação Nacional do Índio (National Indian Foundation, FUNAI) published a study that recognized the traditional nature of the occupation of the Sawré Muybu Indigenous Territory.

Also on 19 April 2016 the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) suspended environmental licensing for the São Luiz do Tapajós Dam.