Brazilian federal power company Furnas plans to invest US$587M in generation and transmission projects in 2006.

This year, the company plans to start operations of the 452MW Peixe Angical hydroelectric power project, of which it owns 40%. Energias do Brasil, the local unit of Portuguese state power company, owns the remaining 60%.

Furnas won the concessions to build and operate the three projects, which have combined installed capacity of 526MW – the largest being the 333MW Simplício project.

The figure of US$587M is up slightly from the amount invested in 2005. Furnas is controlled by federal power holding company Eletrobrás, which operates some 19,000km of transmission lines and has installed some 9476MW.

Furnas is also studying whether it will bid for more new projects in generation capacity auctions to be held later this year.