Bidding reopens on major Angra 3 contracts
Two consortia will now compete for contracts worth BRL3 billion ($1.5 billion) to assemble the nuclear and conventional island of Brazil's Angra 3 after owner Electronuclear re-opened bidding.Two consortia will now compete for contracts worth BRL3 billion ($1.5 billion) to assemble the nuclear and conventional island of Brazil's Angra 3 after owner Electronuclear re-opened bidding.
.jpg "Angra 3 impression (Eletronuclear)") |
| How Angra 3 could appear when completed (Image: Eletronuclear) |
The tender was initially launched in 2011 but suspended after another consortia challenged its disqualification from the assessment process. Late in 2012 the Court of Audit finally cleared the way for Eletronuclear to proceed.
Two consortia remain qualified - UNA 3 (formed of Andrade Gutierrez, Norberto Odebrecht, Camargo Correa and UTC Engenharia) and Angra 3 (formed of Queiroz Galvão, EBE and Techint). They are now expected to compete for two separate contracts to provide components and services for the nuclear and conventional islands, estimated to be worth BRL1.31 billion ($640 million) and BRL1.67 billion (830 million) respectively.
Eletronuclear describes this as one of the largest tender processes currently taking place in the country. It has asked the consortia to submit documents by 4 July outlining their proposals and whether they have altered.
Angra 3 gearing up
The Angra 3 project has a long history. Construction originally started in 1984 on a pressurised water reactor (PWR) designed by German company KWU, however this faltered two years later. At that stage some 70% of the plant's equipment was said to have already been purchased and delivered to the site. A return to construction was approved in 2007, and an industrial agreement for the unit's completion was signed with Areva in December 2008.
So far some 47% of civil works have been carried out on what will be a 1405 MWe PWR. The completion date is now uncertain, with Eletronuclear noting that the schedule was being re-assessed in light of the delay. Earlier statements had slated this for 2015.
About 3,000 construction workers are currently on site, more than 80% of which come from local communities. This is expected to increase as the project fully mobilises again in 2014. Eletronuclear estimates that of the remaining investment necessary to finish the work, about BRL13.9 billion ($6.8 billion), some 70% will be made within the country.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
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