This paper presents a proposal of sustainable management model alternative for electrification of remote communities in the Amazon region, considering the Brazilian regulation policy. This paper presents also a case study of the electrification in a river-dwelling community in the State of Para, Brazil, within the scope of the Program for Electric Power Service Universalization in Brazil. The community shall be provided with electrification facilities through a small biomass-based power plant, directly firing residues produced by the local economic activity. The objective of the paper is to make a proposal for a sustainable management model that is suitable for the community's isolation conditions, considering the high costs with operation and maintenance related to the supply for isolated consumers in small locations. A simulation is conducted for the operation of the small biomass-based power plant; the generation costs are determined; the legal aspects are analyzed; and a suggestion for the management model is presented. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.