Iberdrola reported that "work on the Alto Tâmega hydroelectric plant was partially suspended in March, after having "identified geological conditions on the site that were not foreseen during the study phase.

As a result, according to figures put forward by the Construction Union of Portugal, this suspension mainly affected around 90 workers in this territory.

Eduardo Cunha, 64 years old and resident in Cerva, Ribeira de Pena, was a bricklayer in the Alto Tâmega dam, contracted by the Complementary Group of Companies (ACE), which includes Mota-Engil, Acciona and Edivisa, responsible for the construction of this undertaking.

He told the journalists that he had taken advantage of the work opportunity, where alternatives were "scarce" and that he had worked as a mason for 14 months.

Eduardo Cunha said that after the problem that was detected at the construction site, the workers were sent home to earn "75% of salary" and then they were dismissed in August.

"The only response we received was that the ACE was no longer going to do the work and that's why we were fired," added the 52-year-old bricklayer Orlando Barroso.

The dam is one of the largest hydroelectric projects in Europe in the last 25 years, with an investment of €1.5 billion and the creation of 13,500 direct and indirect jobs.

Currently, according to Iberdrola, about 1,800 people work at the site, about 370 of who are locals.