19 Jan (NucNet): Construction of the Angra-3 nuclear power reactor in Brazil could resume in the second half of 2018 as long as an agreement is reached to increase the tariff for energy generated by the plant from around 222.18 Brazilian reals (BRL) (€64, $69) per MWh, which is below the BRL 224 per MWh paid for electricity generated by Angra-1 and Angra-2, the president of nuclear operator Eletrobras Eletronuclear said.

In an interview with the newspaper Valor Economico Bruno Barretto said Eletronuclear expects approval from the National Energy Policy Council in March 2017 to negotiate with potential international partners, including China National Nuclear Corporation, with which it has signed a memorandum of understanding, France’s EDF, with whom there is a confidentiality agreement to share data about Angra-3, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and South Korea’s Korea Electric Power Corporation.

Construction of the 1,400-MW Angra-3 Siemens/KWU pressurised water reactor began in 1984 but was halted in 1986 because of a lack of financing.

According to Eletronuclear almost 47% of civil works is complete, although some press reports have put the figure at around 60%.

In 2007, a government energy policy committee authorised completion of the unit and in May 2010 the country’s nuclear regulator granted a construction permit. In January 2011, Brazilian national development bank BNDES approved $2.5bn of financing for the work.

Brazil has two commercial nuclear reactors in operation, Angra-1 and Angra-2. They generate about 3% of the country’s electricity.

The cost of the Angra-3 plant is under revaluation, Mr Barretto said. In 2015 the budget had risen to about $5.2bn.