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Brazilian nuclear project foresees definitive repository for radioactive waste, technological center, and long-term environmental monitoring, in a work linked to Angra, scientific research, and national management of materials used in medicine and industry.
Brazil plans to begin construction in 2026 of Centena, an acronym for Nuclear and Environmental Technology Center, a project intended for the definitive storage of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated in the country.
The facility is also expected to bring together structures dedicated to studies, environmental monitoring, radiation protection, and the development of techniques associated with the management of this type of material, according to the National Nuclear Energy Commission.
The proposal is to create a national solution to receive treated waste from nuclear power plants, hospitals, industries, universities, research centers, and other activities that use radioisotopes.
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In the design reported by the nuclear sector, Centena was planned for low and intermediate-level materials, including waste with a half-life limited to 30 years.
Centena and the management of radioactive waste in Brazil
The project is linked to a specific stage of the nuclear chain: the disposal of materials that have already undergone treatment, control, and conditioning, but still require storage in a licensed location.
Currently, part of Brazil’s radioactive waste remains in deposits near the Angra dos Reis power plants or in intermediate units.
CNEN informed that a preferred location for the undertaking has already been chosen.
The next phase involves the completion of geophysical characterization studies, necessary for nuclear and environmental licensing.
According to the commission, a consultancy was hired to evaluate the technical documentation and the project.
The timeline cited by the agency foresees construction beginning in 2026 and completion in 2030.
In CNEN’s assessment, if this deadline is met, the repository would be ready before the estimated limit for the capacity of the current deposits of the Almirante Álvaro Alberto Nuclear Power Plant, in Angra dos Reis, set for 2031/2032.
What will be stored in the Centena repository
Centena was designed to receive treated and conditioned radioactive waste, generated by different uses of nuclear technology.
In addition to electricity production, these materials can result from medical exams, treatments, industrial processes, scientific research, and environmental control activities.
The planned structure includes deposition areas, operational support buildings, laboratories, environmental monitoring systems, and spaces dedicated to radiation protection.
Information released by institutions linked to CNEN indicates that the undertaking will occupy approximately 40 hectares and will follow the multiple barrier concept, a model used in the sector to reduce the possibility of radioactive material dispersion.
The project also foresees an extended monitoring period after the cessation of operation.
The facility is expected to operate for 60 years and remain under surveillance for 300 years after the end of activities, according to technical information released by the Center for Nuclear Technology Development.
Cost of Centena and origin of resources
The most recent estimate presented by CNEN in a public hearing indicates an investment of R$ 345 million and execution over five years.
It is also planned to receive, in the fourth quarter of 2030, 26,200 metallic drums stored by Eletronuclear, equivalent to 5,240 cubic meters of waste ready for transfer to the future repository.
The resources for construction and waste removal are expected to come from the Decommissioning Fund for the Angra 1 and Angra 2 power plants.
This fund was created to cover stages associated with the future operational shutdown of the units, including the disposal of packaged radioactive waste for definitive storage.
The latest information on the cost replaces previous estimates that mentioned around R$ 130 million.
As the updated value was informed by CNEN, the R$ 345 million reference becomes the most recent public basis for the project’s budget.
Alternatives for Angra in case of delay
The possibility of a delay in the implementation of Centena led CNEN to inform about measures analyzed by Eletronuclear.
One of them would be to reorganize the current deposits, a procedure that, according to the commission, would not require a new environmental licensing process.
Another option would be to build a new storage shed, which would require nuclear and environmental licensing.
The topic gained attention after the disclosure that Angra 1 and Angra 2 could face restrictions if there was no new capacity to store waste.
In a clarification note, CNEN stated that the project is underway and that operational alternatives are being evaluated to prevent the capacity of current deposits from becoming a limiting factor.
Angra 1 and Angra 2 are the two nuclear power plants in operation in the country.
The units are located in Angra dos Reis, on the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro.
According to Eletronuclear, Angra 1 has 640 megawatts of power, while Angra 2 has a nominal capacity of 1,350 megawatts.
Relation of Centena with Angra 3 and the Multipurpose Reactor
The existence of a national repository also appears in processes related to other projects in the Brazilian nuclear sector.
CNEN informs that Centena integrates the conditions associated with the environmental licensing of Angra 3 and the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor.
Angra 3 will have a projected power of 1,405 megawatts.
The construction, originally started in the 1980s, has undergone interruptions and resumptions over the last decades.
In May 2025, Eletronuclear informed that the undertaking had a global physical progress of 66% and was still under evaluation by the National Energy Policy Council.
The Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor, in turn, is a project focused on research, the production of radioisotopes, and technological applications.
CNEN informed that the next construction phase is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026, with an estimated completion in 2030.
The undertaking is associated with the production of radiopharmaceuticals, material testing, and the development of scientific research.
Nuclear use in medicine, industry, and research
Although nuclear energy in Brazil is often associated with the Angra power plants, radioisotopes are used in different areas.
In medicine, they appear in diagnostic exams and treatments.
In industry, they are used in measurements, inspections, and process control.
There are also applications in agriculture, research, food preservation, and environmental studies.
These activities can generate waste that needs to be identified, treated, packaged, and stored according to safety standards.
Centena was presented by CNEN as a structure designed to organize this stage at a national level, with technical control and environmental monitoring.
The implementation still depends on studies, licenses, and the execution of works.
The schedule informed by the commission sets 2026 as the expected year for the start of construction and 2030 as the estimated completion deadline.
Until then, existing deposits remain part of the storage structure in use in the country, while alternatives are being evaluated in case of calendar changes.
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