José Cordeiro

José Cordeiro was born on February 27, 1867, and died on November 29, 1908, in Ponta Delgada. He attended the École Préparatoire - Genie Civil Arts et Manufactures (Gent - Belgium) and majored in Chemical Engineering at École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures (Paris - France). In Germany and France, he had professional traineeships in sugar, stearin, alcohol and beer factories. He returned briefly to São Miguel, where he worked at the Lagoa Alcohol Factory. He went to Lisbon, where he joined the Gas Company in Lisbon. Curiosity took him to Argentina and Chile, where he became interested in hydroelectric energy. It is in this context that, in 1899, he returned to São Miguel with the intention of introducing hydroelectricity as a source of energy production. From the small hydroelectric power plants he implemented, particularly in Ribeira da Praia, power was supplied to Vila Franca do Campo (1900), Ribeira Grande (1902) and Ponta Delgada (1904).
The statue is by Anjos Teixeira.