The Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy will hold two auctions on 31 March 2020 to contract thermal (gas-fired or coal-fired) power plants. The new facilities would replace old diesel-fired power plants, whose contracts will expire in the upcoming years. One auction would be an A-4 auction (projects delivery within four years, i.e. 2024), while the other would be an A-5 auction (projects delivery within five years, i.e. 2025). Existing thermal power plants will be able to take part in the auction if they invest in energy efficiency retrofit or in fuel substitution, along with new coal-fired and gas-fired power projects. Successful bidders will secure 15-year power purchase agreements (PPA). These thermal power auctions are in line with the government's New Gas Market programme, which aims at boosting competition in the Brazilian gas sector and at cutting input costs.