Brazil’s government will postpone a planned auction of electric power to November 28 from September 30, the Energy Ministry said. According to a statement issued by the ministry, the date for the so-called A-5 auction was altered to allow for licensing and participation of 460 megawatts of hydroelectric power sources as well as participation of wind power facilities. The postponement of the auction comes following a series of power rate hikes due to low rainfall at hydroelectric facilities and need for use of thermoelectric power generation. Energy ministry authorities last month admitted that power rates would likely continue to rise through at least 2015, with an increase of as much as 2.6% seen next year. With the postponement, the planned auction will be delayed until after the country’s presidential election, scheduled for October 5. The auction in question had previously been postponed from September 12.