| Angra Nuclear Power Plant | |
| Country: | Brazil |
| Coordinates: | -23.0083°N -44.4572°W |
| Operator: | Eletrobrás Termonuclear S.A. - Eletronuclear |
| Construction Began: | 1971 |
| Commissioned: | 1 January 1985 |
| Ps Cooling Source: | South Atlantic Ocean |
| Ps Units Operational: | 1 × (gross) 1 × (gross) |
| Ps Units Uc: | 1 × (gross) |
| Ps Thermal Capacity: | 1 × 1 × |
| Ps Electrical Capacity: | 1884 |
| Ps Electrical Cap Fac: | 88.4% (2014-2018) |
| Ps Annual Generation: | 14,593 |
| Website: | eletronuclear.gov.br |
Angra Nuclear Power Plant is Brazil's only nuclear power plant. It is located at the Central Nuclear Almirante Álvaro Alberto (CNAAA) on the Itaorna Beach in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro. It consists of two pressurized water reactors (PWR), Angra I, with a net output of 609 MWe,[1] first connected to the power grid in 1985[2] and Angra II, with a net output of 1,275 MWe,[3] connected in 2000.
Work on a third reactor, Angra III, with a projected output of 1,245 MWe,[4] began in 1984 but was halted in 1986. Work started again on 1 June 2010 for entry into service in 2015 and later delayed into the 2020s.[5] [6] Construction resumed in November 2022.[7]
The Central Nuclear Almirante Álvaro Alberto complex is administered by Eletronuclear, a state company with the monopoly in nuclear power generation in Brazil. The complex employs some 3,000 people and generates another 10,000 indirect jobs in Rio de Janeiro state.
Angra I was purchased from Westinghouse of the USA (its sister power plant is Krško Nuclear Power Plant in Slovenia[8]). The balance of plant design was subcontracted to Gibbs and Hill (USA) in association with PROMON Engenharia S.A. and construction to Brasileira de Engenharia S.A.[2]
The purchase did not include the transfer of sensitive reactor technology. As a result, Angra II was built with pre-Konvoi German technology, as part of a comprehensive nuclear agreement between Brazil and West Germany signed by President Ernesto Geisel in 1975. The complex was designed to have three PWR units with a total output of around 3,000 MWe and was to be the first of 4 nuclear plants that would be built up to 1990.
The plant has two operating pressurized water reactors, with a total net capacity of . Its units are rated as follows:
| Unit | Type | Start construction | First criticality | Commercial operation | Electric Power | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angra – 1[9] | Westinghouse 2-loop PWR | 1 May, 1971 | 3 March, 1982 | 1 January, 1985 | 609 MWe | In operation | |
| Angra – 2[10] | Siemens Pre-Konvoi PWR | 1 January, 1976 | 14 July, 2000 | 1 February, 2001 | 1245 MWe | In operation | |
| Angra – 3[11] [12] | Siemens Pre-Konvoi PWR | 1 June, 2010 | – | – | 1405 MWe | Under construction |
The development of Angra III began in 1984 as a Siemens/KWU pressurized water reactor but was halted in 1986. About 70% of the plant's equipment was purchased in 1985 but has been in storage ever since. In June 2007, restarting of work on was approved by the National Council for Energy Policy. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva greenlit the project in July 2007. In December 2008, Eletronuclear signed an industrial cooperation agreement with Areva. On 31 May 2010, the National Nuclear Energy Commission granted a licence for construction of the third reactor. Construction of the reactor, which has a capacity of 1,350 MWe, begun on 1 June 2010 and was predicted to be operational by 2018.[5] [13]
After stopping construction in 2014, the Brazilian government have decided to auction off the incomplete power station to private investors in 2018. Based on that timetable and the volume of construction works to complete, the Energy deputy minister expected completion to be achieved by 2023.[14]
In November 2021, the Brazilian government rescheduled the conclusion of Angra III for 2026–27, and announced the construction of a fourth nuclear power plant, to be inaugurated in 2031.[15] [16] In February 2022, the consortium that will complete the reactor agreed a contract, which is planned to enable reactor operations to start in 2026.[17]