In Brazil about 80% of electricity is generated by hydropower with relatively low generating costs, see Figure 7.5 and Table 7.8. The second main source of electricity in Brazil is fossil fuel. In 2008, about 6.26% of electricity was generated from natural gas, 5.25% from wood and 3.79% from oil [7.4].

The data from Table 7.8 indicates some advanced SMRs could be competitive with the currently deployed electricity generating plants in Brazil. However, hydroelectric power plants are more competitive than any nuclear source.

Competition with other nuclear power plants should be viewed with caution. The LUEC values for nuclear in Table 7.8 are estimates with regards to the completion of the Angra 3 project. Should new NPPs with modern large reactors be considered for Brazil, SMRs would probably not be competitive.

However, some SMRs appear to be competitive with the coal — and gas-fired plants[61], as well as with some renewable plants (in the case of Brazil — biogas). The majority of the coal — and gas-fired plants operated worldwide have a capacity between 300 and 700 MWe [7.1] matching the capacity range of SMRs. In view of that, SMRs may provide a competitive replacement for decommissioned power plants in these categories not requiring an enhancement of the electricity grids, the addition of a spinning reserve, or a transition to the new site. For example, SMRs could be competitive when previously used sites do not have sufficient amounts of water for cooling towers of a large power plant. As a replacement, SMRs could effectively use the basic infrastructure remaining on the sites of
the decommissioned small and medium-sized coal — and gas-fired plants. In addition to this, plants with advanced SMRs could provide a reasonable alternative to the newly planned coal — and gas-fired plants, especially in the case of the introduction of carbon taxes.

Table 7.8, as well as the following tables in the section 7.2.2, indicates no options for competitive deployment of barge-mounted plants with very small twin-unit PWRs of 8 and 35 MWe (per unit).