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Eletronuclear’s Request Must Go Through CNEN Approval, Which Will Analyze Whether to Extend Angra 1’s Lifespan Set to End in 2024
The National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) received from Eletronuclear, last Thursday (07/11), a formal request for the extension of Angra 1’s lifespan from 40 to 60 years. See also, Angra 1 and 2 have a spent fuel deposit released by Ibama!
The president of Eletronuclear, Leonam Guimarães, was at CNEN’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro and delivered the documentation with the request to CNEN.
Guimarães spoke about the importance of Angra 1 for the national system, “Considering that the lifespan licensed by CNEN for Angra 1 of 40 years ends in 2024, Eletronuclear presents its request for a 20-year extension 5 years in advance based on programs that imply investments in the plant amounting to R$ 1 billion. This investment represents an extremely low cost for the ‘new’ 640 MW starting in 2025,” he said.
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CNEN’s Role
CNEN will analyze the evaluation process of the extension request, and according to CNEN’s Chief of Staff, Cássia Helena Lima, there will be an effort to ensure that everything is analyzed within the timeframe and the technical safety and radioprotection procedures.
Among the processes that will be analyzed by CNEN is the Aging Management Program (PGE), which has already begun to be studied for implementation in the Systems, Structures, and Components of the Angra 2 Plant.
Angra 1 has been in operation since 1985 and will complete 40 years, when its license expires, in 2024, and since Brazil adopts the American standard, it must request the extension of its lifespan 5 years in advance.
It is worth mentioning that the Angra 1 project is based on the American Westinghouse, and in the U.S. this lifespan extension process has already been carried out in more than 70 nuclear plants.
Requests in the U.S. are currently for 60 years, but there are already studies in the country for extending the operation of nuclear plants to up to 80 years.
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