A Ten-Year Plan for the Electricity Sector, which has just been released by the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy, calls for investments in Brazil of 125 billion reais (almost US$ 60 billion) between now and 2015.
The report says that 40 billion reais (almost US$ 20 billion) will be needed just for new transmission lines.
Today Brazilian electricity consumption is around 47 gigawatts. The plan says that in 2015 it should be 76 gigawatts.
The ministry says it is estimating consumption increases of around 5.2% per year during the ten- year period and taking into consideration the fact that there will be changes in its consumer profile: industrial consumption will drop from 47% of total consumption today to 43% in 2015; however, commercial use will rise from 15% to 18%, and residential use will go from 24% to 25%..
The plan calls for the complete integration of the country’s electricity grids by 2015. Today the states of Acre and Rondônia are not connected.
The ministry also says that the share of electricity generated by nuclear power plants will rise from 2.4% today to 3.68% by the year 2023 when Angra 3 becomes operational.
The plan is available for public consultations at www.mme.gov.br
ABr