# Power Grid: Brazil/Spain & Portugal ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2009 - **BGG Rating**: 7.9 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-6 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 120 min - **Weight**: 2.97 / 5 - **Designers**: Friedemann Friese - **Artists**: Antonio Dessi, Lars-Arne "Maura" Kalusky - **Publishers**: 2F-Spiele, Edge Entertainment, Galápagos Jogos, Giochi Uniti, Rio Grande Games, Swan Panasia Co., Ltd. - **Categories**: Economic, Expansion for Base-game, Industry / Manufacturing - **Mechanics**: Auction / Bidding, Income, Market, Network and Route Building ## Verdict A must-have for base game fans looking to shake up their strategy with new maps. The Brazil map is a highlight due to its resource tension.Fresh resource dynamicsWell-balanced mapsGreat collector's boxExtends game longevityRequires the base gameSlight learning curve for new rulesRECOMMENDED ## Description If you've already mastered the art of electrifying cities in Power Grid, it's time to expand your business to new territories. This expansion introduces two brand-new maps that completely shift the game dynamics: Brazil and the Spain & Portugal region. It's not just about changing the map art; the resource rules shift to reflect the specific energy landscape of each location. In the Brazil map, the focus is on biogas. When playing here, you should treat 'garbage' as 'biogas'. Garbage power plants become biogas plants, and garbage resources act as biogas tanks. The fight for these scarce resources is intense, demanding constant focus to ensure your competitors don't leave you in the dark. Over in Spain & Portugal, the game becomes a clash of opposing strategies. Uranium takes on a much more significant role than in other maps, but with a twist: it's completely absent from the market during Step 1, only to flood the market rapidly in Step 2. Simultaneously, three massive wind-power plants enter the fray, creating a strategic conflict between high-tech nuclear energy and renewable wind power. Beyond the maps, the expansion comes in a 'Collector's Box', a standard-sized Power Grid box designed with enough space to store other expansion maps released up to 2009. It's the perfect upgrade for players looking to test new networking strategies and feel the pressure of different energy markets, all while keeping the core auction and financial management mechanics that make the base game so addictive. ## How to Play Game Objective In Power Grid: Brazil / Spain & Portugal - Energized Edition, players build their own power plant empire. The game is an economic challenge where players must devise new tactics due to the significant geographical differences and varying emphasis on resource supply on each map. The ultimate goal is to earn money from electricity and build a successful power plant empire. Setup The game setup follows the rules of the base Power Grid game, with specific modifications for each map: Brazil Map After creating the initial market with power plants 03-10, players must separate the remaining biogas plants (which are the "original" garbage plants) and set them aside. Next, players proceed with the setup of the power plant stack according to the base game rules (removing random plants based on the number of players, etc.). Finally, players place power plant 14 directly under plant 13 in the power plant stack and shuffle all other biogas plants into the remaining stack. Spain & Portugal Map First, separate power plants 18, 22, and 27 from the power plant stack and set them aside face-up. At the start, resource prices begin as follows: coal = 1 Elektro; oil = 3 Elektros; garbage = 6 Elektros; and uranium = 5 Elektros. Game Flow The rules of Power Grid remain the same, except for the modifications and special features of the two maps. The game progresses in Phases, and Phase 5: Bureaucracy has specific rules for each map. Game Stages Stage 2 At the start of "Stage 2", place the three power plants 18, 22, and 27 on top of the power plant stack in ascending order, so that 18 is on top, followed by 22, and finally 27. This way, power plant 18 will be revealed to replace the smallest power plant removed at the start of "Stage 2". Actions and How to Play Actions follow the base Power Grid rules, with the following modifications: Brazil Map In Brazil, energy suppliers prioritize biogas. Thus, players must treat garbage plants as if they were biogas plants and garbage resources as if they were biogas tanks when playing with the Brazil map. Phase 5: Bureaucracy: In this phase, resources are replenished according to the Brazil resource supply table. Spain & Portugal Map Phase 2: Auction Power Plants: Players with urban networks only in Portugal cannot buy nuclear plants, nor can they put such plants up for auction. Phase 5: Bureaucracy: In this phase, resources are replenished according to the Spain & Portugal resource supply table. The resource market will not be replenished with uranium during "Stage 1", but uranium supplies increase rapidly in "Stage 2". End of Game and Scoring Refer to the manual for details on this section. Tips for Winning Refer to the manual for details on this section. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base game to play? Yes! This is an expansion, so you need all the pieces and rules from the original Power Grid to play. ### What changes in the Brazil map? The main change is thematic: garbage plants and resources are treated as biogas, making the fight for these resources much more intense. ### Is uranium better in the Spain & Portugal map? It's very important, but the strategy differs: it's absent during Step 1 and floods the market during Step 2. ### How many players can play? It follows the base game rules, supporting 2 to 6 players. ### Does the expansion make the game more complex? The core complexity remains the same, but the new resource rules force you to adapt your strategy, making the experience deeper. ### Can the box store other maps? Yes, it's designed as a 'Collector's Box' to hold other expansion maps released up to 2009. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 16.01 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2541582&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/565/power-grid-brazilspain-portugal?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com