NEO is a Brazilian private entity that operates in the energy sector. It is regulated by the National Agency of Electric Energy (ANEEL), which is under the Ministry of Mines and Energy, a government agency. The company owns several wind farms in Rio Grande Norte and has received vast support from the federal government as well as financial institutions, with investments of over R$4.1 billion, approximately US$1 billion. The promise of the creation of jobs and cheaper energy has been a major driver for the support of these agencies and the government, despite the negative impacts they have had.
