Brazil to Restart Angra 1 Nuclear-Power Plant Today (Update1)

By Carlos Caminada
Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Eletronuclear SA, Brazil's state- controlled nuclear power company, will resume operations at its Angra 1 plant today after it fixed a turbo-generator that overheated.
The plant will restart at 2 p.m. local time, Rio de Janeiro- based Eletronuclear said in a statement. Eletronuclear shut the plant yesterday after a turbo-generator outside the radioactive area overheated.
Brazil has been relying more on nuclear and natural gas- fired plants in recent months after below-average rainfall depleted water levels at hydroelectric dams. Nuclear and gas generation feeds the energy grid during peak hours and when reservoirs are refilling or too low.
Angra 1, located in Angra dos Reis along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, has the capacity to produce 657 megawatts of electricity.
Eletronuclear last shut Angra 1 in September for 24 days because of problems with the main electric generator. The plant was closed from June through the start of August for maintenance.
Eletronuclear is a unit of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA, Brazil's state-controlled electricity company.