Brazil to Build One Nuclear Plant Annually for Next 50 Years – Minister

Text of report by Brazilian news agency Estado

["Brazil Wants To Build 50 Nuclear Plants in 50 Years, Lobao Says" - Agencia Estado Headline]

Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobao yesterday said that Brazil will build one nuclear power plant per year over the next 50 years. They will produce a total of 60,000 MW. Each of these plants will be slightly smaller than Angra 3, which has a projected capacity of 1,400 MW. According to the minister, that package will start getting off the drawing board as soon as the government wraps up the contracts to build the four new nuclear power plants that already have federal approval for “immediate” construction.

“President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva understands that nuclear policy is a priority for Brazil and his decision is that the process to install these power plants must proceed,” the minister said during an interview after visiting the Angra 1 and Angra 2 power plants in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro State. According to Lobao, the government is currently “taking care of Angra 3.”

Once this process is finished, he said, the government will determine where to build the first four power plants of this major nuclear package, each of which will have a capacity of 1,400 MW. Two of them will be built in the Northeast and two in the Southeast. According to Lobao, the northeastern states of Pernambuco, Sergipe, and Alagoas are vying for the investments. In southeastern Brazil, however, the minister said there have been no expressions of interest. “But we do not believe there will be any problem with that,” he said.

As for the 50 power plants, the minister said that adjustments must still be made to the package and that the matter will be discussed after the government addresses these first four units.

Originally published by Agencia Estado news agency, Sao Paulo, in Portuguese 1940 12 Sep 08.

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