Brazil to renew construction of third nuclear power plant

Brazil will restart building its third nuclear power plant in February after a suspension of some 24 years, the country’s nuclear energy company Eletronuclear announced on Monday.

The renewal of Angra 3’s construction, which was supposed to begin last December, had to be postponed since the local government of Angra dos Reis, a southern city where the plant is located, had revoked its construction license, said Leonam Guimaraes, assistant to the president of the state-owned company.

The delay will consequently move the operation date of the plant from May to July 2015, said Guimaraes.

Construction of Angra 3 started in 1984, but was put on hold two years later due to pressure from the media and environmental groups.

Last year, Brazil’s Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobao announced plans to complete Angra 3 and build more nuclear plants.