Environmental issues arising from the thermopower generation in Brazil

The present study is the outcome of a research assess of the thermopower ge neration and the environmental impacts in Brazil. The idea was to establish a comparative analysis between the expansion of the power operation and th e emissions of pollutants, for carrying out new prospective studies on this topic, as well as new regulatory proposal for the electricity system and t he potential environmental risk related. Under the Decceniall Expansion Pla n of Brazilian Government, the country's total installed capacity will grow from 57.6 GW in 1997 to 90.2 GW in 2006, with the hydroelectric share decl ining from 92 to 83%, and the thermoelectric share growing from 8 to 17% ov er the same period, The option of thermopower plants could be a good opport unity to open the Brazilian Electric Sector to private investors, consideri ng that low public financial capacity of the public sector to expand the el ectric system. But it is important to note that the new power plants could generate large environmental impacts to the atmosphere if not controlled. T his paper deals specifically with the analysis of atmospheric pollution fro m coal and natural gas power plants and the policy related in the the two f ields mentioned above. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.