Brazil’s nuclear utility Eletronuclear (a subsidiary of Eletrobras) has signed a contract with the consortium formed by Ferreira Guedes, Matricial and ADtranz that will allow the resumption of work on unit 3 of the Angra nuclear power plant under the Critical Path Acceleration Plan.

The chosen consortium was announced in July 2021. After completing the appeal stages, the three companies successfully underwent a compliance assessment. The signing of the contract was then approved by the Eletrobras Board of Directors at the end of January.

Following the signing of the contract, the consortium will start mobilising the construction site in preparation for resuming construction of Angra 3.

Subsequently, another tender will be held to hire the company or consortium that will complete the civil works and electro-mechanical assembly of the plant. This will be done through an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) management contract.

Angra 3 will require another BRL17 billion ($3.2bn) to be completed. Some BRL 7-8 billion has already been invested in the project. The cost of the Critical Path Acceleration Plan is estimated at around BRL300 million. Completion of the work, which began in 1984 and was frozen six years ago, is scheduled for 2026, according to statements by Bento Albuquerque, Minister of Mines and Energy.