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Nuclear deal to supply uranium with Russia gives energy security to Brazil, says expert

Written by Valdemar Medeiros
Published 19/12/2022 às 16:55
Updated 21/12/2022 às 10:18
Nuclear deal to supply uranium with Russia gives energy security to Brazil, says expert
Folhapress / Sérgio Lima

Brazil and Russia close a nuclear deal for the supply of uranium that could strengthen Brazilian energy security.

Internexco, a subsidiary of the Russian state nuclear company Rosatom, signed a contract, on September 7, for the sale of uranium to Brazilian nuclear power plants starting next year. According to the Russian company, the contract is the result of an open international bid and is the first long-term contract with the country to supply enriched uranium products in history of the Russian state. 

Rosatom and Enbpar sign a memorandum of understanding

In a first analysis, the nuclear power plants of Angra dos Reis, Angra 1 and Angra 2, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, may be the largest ones covered by the nuclear agreement. The units have an installed capacity of 640 and 1.350 MW respectively.

In this way, with the completion of Angra 3, the sector will take a big leap, generating greater energy security. In this sense, it is important to point out that, in October of this year, the Rosatom and Empresa Brasileira de Participações em Energia Nuclear e Binacional SA (Enbpar), signed a memorandum of understanding to expand the partnership to areas such as construction, decommissioning and operation of new high-capacity nuclear power plants based on Russian technologies in the country.

The treaties are happening, in the opinion of Inácio Loiola Pereira Campos, retired professor of nuclear energy at UFMG and delegate of the association, because there is a great international demand for energy, and Brazil can figure as a key country in this scenario, by becoming a possible major energy exporter. And Russia, in turn, also has essential gains from strengthening ties with the largest market in Latin America and an international ally within the BRICS configuration.

Angra 3 will have a capacity of 1,4 GW

According to Ignatius, the nuclear energy, a thermonuclear plant, in fact, means solid energy, generating greater energy security. Being an energy with which you can count on its production all day long, unlike solar and wind power plants, for example. In addition, nuclear energy has undergone several reviews by environmentalists in recent years, and having been reclassified as a sustainable energy, it has proved to be beneficial to society.

Its new model of plants, with smaller reactors, also called small modular reactors, generate considerably less impact on the environment in addition to having a lower cost. According to Inácio, with this nuclear agreement with Brazil for the supply of uranium, Russia has reached the largest market for uranium products in Latin America.

The country has a partnership with Bolivia and Argentina, but the Brazilian demand is much higher, because the country has a continental dimension. The production capacity of Angra 3 is approximately 1,4 GW, about one tenth of Itaipu's capacity.

Russia will help Brazil with energy security

For Loiola, in addition to the document on the production of nuclear energy that could be used for the advancement of Brazil, the contract arrives at an essential time for the country, as the world demands more and more clean energy and the Russian state company, Rosatom, could help Latin America's largest economy to advance a few years in the complex scientific timetable for uranium enrichment.

According to the nuclear engineer, the contract will make it possible for Brazil to skip stages in the enrichment of uranium. If Brazil were to fully develop its demand for enriched uranium, it would take years.

When uranium is used in a power plant to generate electricity, the degree of concentration is around 3%. If used for naval propulsion, it is in the range of 20%.

Valdemar Medeiros

Journalist in training, specialist in creating content with a focus on SEO actions. Writes about the Automotive Industry, Renewable Energy and Science and Technology

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