MINISTER ANNOUNCES STRONG RESUMPTION OF THE BRAZILIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM WITH INVESTMENTS IN THE ORDER OF BRL 15.5 BILLION DURING SIEN
The company wants to make the first partnerships possible in 2021 and announces that it should resume uranium production in Caetité in the coming months
The Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, opened today, 10/28, the XI International Seminar on Nuclear Energy – SIEN 2020, with the lecture “The Socio-Economic Impact of Nuclear Resumption on Society Life – the Nuclear Sector of the Future” . This edition of SIEN, which runs until the 30th, has as its central theme the new business model for the resumption of the Angra 3 plant, in addition to the prospect of building up to eight new nuclear plants by 2050, within the National Plan for Energy – PNE 2050. Bento Albuquerque presented his lecture based on five axes that he believes to be relevant in the context of Brazilian nuclear energy: the current situation in Brazil in nuclear energy, ministerial integration in the development of the sector, the socioeconomic impact of nuclear resumption , the results of actions for society and the future goals of the sector. According to the minister, actions aimed at boosting the Brazilian Nuclear Program have the unrestricted support of President Jair Bolsonaro, “who identifies the development of the nuclear sector as a priority for his management”. In addition, the dialogue, both with national and international actors, has been frequent and very positive, with emphasis on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the International Energy Agency (IEA) , and the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC) and the Brazil-Argentina Permanent Committee on Nuclear Policy, “which has fostered bilateral cooperation in the nuclear area, technological-nuclear development and the creation of mechanisms that ensure the interests of peace, security and development in the region”. Regarding the national segment, Bento Albuquerque stated that the dialogue has been fluid and positive with associations in the sector such as the Brazilian Association for the Development of Nuclear Activities (Abdan), Brazilian Association of Nuclear Energy (ABEN), Brazilian Society of Nuclear Medicine (SBMN), Brazilian Society of Nuclear Biosciences (SBBN), and Committee for the Development of the Brazilian Nuclear Program (CDPNB), “a high-level collegiate, composed of eleven ministers to advise the president on the Brazilian Nuclear Program with a development bias and well being socio-environmental”, highlighted the Minister. “We are finalizing measures to create a nuclear regulatory authority and day by day we are making the necessary adjustments to update the legal framework for nuclear activity. The splitting of the National Nuclear Energy Council”, said the Minister, who highlighted the splitting of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) as a great advance in complying with the Convention on Nuclear Safety (CSN), and also the streamlining of ratify the 1997 Amendment Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Nuclear Damage. Decarbonization and sustainability In his lecture, Bento Albuquerque stated that the nuclear sector is a pillar of the sustainable development strategy, which generates employment and income, and that decisively contributes to the decarbonization of the energy matrix, providing basic energy, with a high degree of reliability and operating continuously. He also confirmed that the MME and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (MCTI), after the regulation of the nuclear regulatory authority, will be the bodies responsible for the sector's policies. He praised, however, the relevant transversal action that the other ministries will have, as a guarantee of the expansion of the nuclear sector, both in the area of energy and in the areas of health, education, agriculture, naval propulsion, nuclear medicine, among others. And he emphasized the importance of this structure for the short-term implementation of the Laboratory for the Generation of Nucleoelectric Energy (Labgene) and the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB). According to the Minister, nuclear energy has been a vital component in Brazil's energy mix and that, even with two universities offering courses in nuclear engineering, Brazil needs to give greater impetus with internal support and international exchanges. “We have indigenous mastery of the entire nuclear fuel cycle and have successfully and safely operated two nuclear power plants for more than three decades. Our electrical matrix has always had a strong environmental emphasis, we are well positioned to substantially increase the share of nuclear energy in electricity generation and we have uranium”, he emphasized. The search for self-sufficiency in the manufacture of nuclear fuel is also another goal to be achieved, as well as the structuring of the nuclear industry with the transformation of Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB) and Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados SA (NUCLEP) into public companies. Other objectives, according to the Minister, include increasing the export of nuclear fuel by expanding the enrichment cascade, which will be possible with the resumption of uranium mining in Santa Quitéria/CE and Caetité/BA and the resumption of Angra 3. He warned that naval propulsion with nuclear energy, through the Submarine Development Program (Prosub), the RMB, Labgene, Nuclep's PPI and the easing of the mining monopoly with the participation of private capital, demonstrate that the socioeconomic impact is positive for Brazilian society with the resumption of the nuclear program. Investments and job creation Bento Albuquerque announced investments in the order of R$ 15.5 billion in the coming years for the recovery of the sector, with the expectation of expanding the export of uranium/yellow cake to 1.5 tons/year and projections for extremely positive employment and income for the country: plan for the acceleration, construction and operation of Angra 3, expected to generate 9,300 jobs; resumption of Caetité, generating 1,800 jobs and in Santa Quitéria, combined with implementation and operation, 4,500 new jobs. Speaking about future goals and challenges for the coming years, the Minister stated that the development of the National Energy Plan - PNE 2050, will recommend expansion of nuclear generation by up to 10 gw, in 30 years, and highlighted some challenges that have been faced , among them, the improvement of legislation with a view to attracting private investment, including in uranium mining; completion of the Angra 3 works by 2026; extend the useful life of Angra 1 operation for another 20 years and the resumption of uranium mining. “Following this stage, we will be able to produce up to 2,400 tons/year of the mineral, as of 2030”, highlighted Bento Albuquerque, enthusiastically. He also highlighted other actions that will be relevant in the context of the recovery, such as the implementation of the national repository for low and medium intensity tailings, the construction of the RMB, the conclusion of Labgene and the establishment of a production chain for the sector, a nuclear cluster, integrating companies, laboratories and industry, taking advantage of the relative physical proximity of these units. Bento Albuquerque concluded his lecture by reinforcing that “the Brazilian government is advancing in the examination with a view to joining the Convention on Compensation for Nuclear Damage, on the occasion of the review of the convention, in 2021. In any case, in practice, the provisions of the convention have already being implemented by the Brazilian government”. Social Communication Office Ministry of Mines and Energy (61)2032-5620
INB DEBATES NEW LEGISLATION FOR PARTNERSHIPS IN URANIUM MINING
The company wants to make the first partnerships possible in 2021 and announces that it should resume uranium production in Caetité in the coming months
The implementation of the Brazilian repository of low and medium levels of radiation (RBMN/CENTENA) will be the subject of debate during the XI International Seminar on Nuclear Energy (SIEN 2020), which will take place on the 28th, 29th and 30th of October. The National Repository has been pointed out by experts in the sector as a solution for the safe disposal of radioactive waste, a topic that mobilizes companies and researchers around the world, due to the growing interest of countries in this source of energy generation.
According to experts, the national repository is a technical requirement both for the operation of Angra 3, whose work will resume in 2021, and for the implementation of the multipurpose reactor (RMB), a nuclear reactor for research and production of radioisotopes – active elements of radiopharmaceuticals. , used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases. The RMB will be able to multiply the country's capacity to produce this input.
The inventory of radioactive waste in Brazil already justifies the undertaking, and there is still a need to unify treatments and storage, so that all safety and protection requirements for this material can be met, say the experts. Theme of SIEN 2020, the RBMN/CENTENA project, under the responsibility of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), is in the process of selecting the location for the repository. The undertaking will have dual licensing, one by the nuclear authority and the environmental one by Ibama.
The next steps will be the basic executive design, the construction of the installation and the operational repository. Centena will be a complex repository, allowing safety analysis for the various radionuclides generated during all nuclear operations in Brazil. This repository will fulfill the requirement to close the cycle of the use of radioactive materials, whether for the production of electricity or for research and development.
growing sector
In Brazil, the nuclear sector is getting ready to take a leap considered definitive by the executives and technicians of the area, after it started to be treated as a State policy, gaining a coordination body within the Institutional Security Office of the Presidency of the Republic - the Committee of Development of the Brazilian Nuclear Program - CDPNB/GSIPR.
In addition to the expectation of investments of R$ 15.5 billion in the resumption of the Angra 3 nuclear plant, about to define an international partnership model, the possibility of building eight new nuclear plants by 2050 in the northeast, within the National Energy Plan – PNE 2050, could generate strong investments in the nuclear sector, which should assume a strategic role in the post-pandemic economic recovery and impact the entire industrial and service chain. Experts project investments of around US$ 50 billion over a period of 30 years. This represents around BRL 300 billion in 30 years, the equivalent of BRL 10 billion per year, just for new nuclear plants.
O SIEN 2020
In its 11th edition and up to date with the safety protocols imposed by the Covid-18 pandemic, SIEN 2020 will be 100% online and will also bring together, on the third day, debates focused on communication issues in the nuclear sector, traditionally addressed at ENCOM – Meeting on Communication in the Nuclear Sector.
Practically all the main executives of the sector have already confirmed their presence, including the coordinator of the Brazilian Nuclear Policy Development Program (CDPNB/GSI/PR) of the Presidency of the Republic, Antônio Capistrano;
Wilson Ferreira Júnior, President of ELETROBRÁS; Leonam dos Santos Guimarães, President of ELETRONUCLEAR; Antônio Carlos Soares Guerreiro, President of AMAZUL; Carlos Freire Moreira, President of INB; Carlos Henrique Silva Seixas, President of NUCLEP, and Giovani Vitória Machado, Director of EPE.
The digital version brings a series of advantages to all participants, whether speakers, subscribers or sponsors: in addition to cost reduction, it allows the elimination of any and all risks of contagion to Covid-19. The 2020 edition will bring together about 25 speakers during SIEN, and another 14 debaters at ENCOM, on the third day. With the grids fully integrated, but separated on different days, the two agendas made the event more attractive and dynamic.
In addition to Angra 3 and the new plants, the event foresees a very diversified schedule, which includes other topics such as the creation of irradiation centers in agriculture and medicines, nuclear medicine, the Brazilian Nuclear Program Protection System (Sipron), nuclear fuel etc.
More info siennuclear@gmail.com
and/or by phone: (21) 3301-3208.
SECURITY FOR INVESTORS IN THE NUCLEAR SECTOR IN BRAZIL WILL BE THE THEME OF SIEN 2020
Brazil prepares to invest BRL 300 billion in 30 years
“Is Brazil a safe country for investments in the nuclear sector? Do the implemented nuclear physical and technological security systems, procedures and measures ensure that the nuclear industry has acceptable corporate risks? Does the transparency of the governance of nuclear physical security in the nuclear industry point to a safe investment in Brazil?”. These are some of the questions that Brazilian and foreign investors are certainly asking regarding the possibility of boosting the sector in Brazil, with the resumption of works on Angra 3 and the projected construction of six new nuclear plants in the northeast of the country by 2050, within of the National Energy Plan - PNE 2050. These issues will be at the center of the Roundtable's debates on the topic that will take place during SIEN 2020. The proposal is to debate Siprom - Protection System of the Brazilian Nuclear Program, during the table that will take place in third day (10/30), with the participation of representatives of the GSI/Presidency of the Republic, CNEN and Eletronuclear. Specialists project investments of around US$ 50 billion in a period of 30 years, the equivalent of R$ 300 billion in 30 years or R$ 10 billion per year, just for the new nuclear plants. The resumption of Angra 3 should mobilize another R$ 15.5 billion for the completion of the work. The specialist in Nuclear Physical Security/GSI-PR, Cesar Henrique Romão, has already confirmed their presence at the Roundtable; the specialist in Nuclear Emergency from GSI-PR, Jair dos Santos Oliveira; and the Director of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety/CNEN, Ricardo Gutterres. To represent Eletronuclear in the debate, Edmundo Selvatici, ELETRONUCLEAR's Operation Coordination Superintendent, was invited. The debate will also address: Communication with society to develop credibility and trust. The national framework for responding to a nuclear emergency. The current context of risk and threat management in Brazil. The importance of communicating with the public in a nuclear emergency situation. SIEN 2020 In its 11th edition and up to date with the security protocols imposed by the Covid-18 pandemic, SIEN 2020 will be 100% online and will also bring together, on the third day, debates focused on communication issues in the nuclear sector , traditionally addressed at ENCOM – Meeting on Communication in the Nuclear Sector. Practically all the main executives of the sector have already confirmed their presence, including the coordinator of the Brazilian Nuclear Policy Development Program (CDPNB/GSI/PR) of the Presidency of the Republic, Antônio Capistrano; Wilson Ferreira Júnior, President of ELETROBRÁS; Leonam dos Santos Guimarães, President of ELETRONUCLEAR; Antônio Carlos Soares Guerreiro, President of AMAZUL; Carlos Freire Moreira, President of INB; Carlos Henrique Silva Seixas, and Giovani Vitória Machado, Director of EPE. The digital version brings a series of advantages to all participants, whether speakers, subscribers or sponsors: in addition to cost reduction, it allows the elimination of any and all risks of contagion to Covid-19. The 2020 edition will bring together about 25 speakers during SIEN, and another 14 debaters at ENCOM, on the third day. With the grids fully integrated, but separated on different days, the two agendas made the event more attractive and dynamic. In addition to Angra 3 and the new plants, the event foresees a very diversified schedule, which includes other topics such as the creation of irradiation centers in agriculture and medicines, nuclear medicine, the Brazilian Nuclear Program Protection System (Sipron), nuclear fuel etc. More information www.sienbrasil.com.br More information siennuclear@gmail.com or tel.: (21) 3301-3208 /99699-1954.
NATIONAL TAILINGS REPOSITORY CLOSES THE CYCLE OF SAFE NUCLEAR USE
Called RBMN/CENTENA, the project is essential for the implementation of new plants and the growth of radiopharmaceuticals production in Brazil
The implementation of the Brazilian repository of low and medium levels of radiation (RBMN/CENTENA) will be the subject of debate during the XI International Seminar on Nuclear Energy (SIEN 2020), which will take place on the 28th, 29th and 30th of October. The National Repository has been pointed out by experts in the sector as a solution for the safe disposal of radioactive waste, a topic that mobilizes companies and researchers around the world, due to the growing interest of countries in this source of energy generation. According to experts, the national repository is a technical requirement both for the operation of Angra 3, whose work will resume in 2021, and for the implementation of the multipurpose reactor (RMB), a nuclear reactor for research and production of radioisotopes – active elements of radiopharmaceuticals. , used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases. The RMB will be able to multiply the country's capacity to produce this input. The inventory of radioactive waste in Brazil already justifies the undertaking, and there is still a need to unify treatments and storage, so that all safety and protection requirements for this material can be met, say the experts. Theme of SIEN 2020, the RBMN/CENTENA project, under the responsibility of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), is in the process of selecting the location for the repository. The undertaking will have dual licensing, one by the nuclear authority and the environmental one by Ibama. The next steps will be the basic executive design, the construction of the installation and the operational repository. Centena will be a complex repository, allowing safety analysis for the various radionuclides generated during all nuclear operations in Brazil. This repository will fulfill the requirement to close the cycle of the use of radioactive materials, whether for the production of electricity or for research and development. Growing sector In Brazil, the nuclear sector is getting ready to take a leap considered definitive by the executives and technicians of the area, after it started to be treated as a State policy, gaining a coordination body within the Institutional Security Office of the Presidency of the Republic – the Brazilian Nuclear Program Development Committee - CDPNB/GSIPR. In addition to the expectation of investments of R$ 15.5 billion in the resumption of the Angra 3 nuclear plant, about to define an international partnership model, the possibility of building eight new nuclear plants by 2050 in the northeast, within the National Energy Plan – PNE 2050, could generate strong investments in the nuclear sector, which should assume a strategic role in the post-pandemic economic recovery and impact the entire industrial and service chain. Experts project investments of around US$ 50 billion over a period of 30 years. This represents around BRL 300 billion in 30 years, the equivalent of BRL 10 billion per year, just for new nuclear plants. SIEN 2020 In its 11th edition and up to date with the security protocols imposed by the Covid-18 pandemic, SIEN 2020 will be 100% online and will also bring together, on the third day, debates focused on communication issues in the nuclear sector , traditionally addressed at ENCOM – Meeting on Communication in the Nuclear Sector. Practically all the main executives of the sector have already confirmed their presence, including the coordinator of the Brazilian Nuclear Policy Development Program (CDPNB/GSI/PR) of the Presidency of the Republic, Antônio Capistrano; Wilson Ferreira Júnior, President of ELETROBRÁS; Leonam dos Santos Guimarães, President of ELETRONUCLEAR; Antônio Carlos Soares Guerreiro, President of AMAZUL; Carlos Freire Moreira, President of INB; Carlos Henrique Silva Seixas, President of NUCLEP, and Giovani Vitória Machado, Director of EPE. The digital version brings a series of advantages to all participants, whether speakers, subscribers or sponsors: in addition to cost reduction, it allows the elimination of any and all risks of contagion to Covid-19. The 2020 edition will bring together about 25 speakers during SIEN, and another 14 debaters at ENCOM, on the third day. With the grids fully integrated, but separated on different days, the two agendas made the event more attractive and dynamic. In addition to Angra 3 and the new plants, the event foresees a very diversified schedule, which includes other topics such as the creation of irradiation centers in agriculture and medicines, nuclear medicine, the Brazilian Nuclear Program Protection System (Sipron), nuclear fuel etc. More information siennuclear@gmail.com and/or by phone: (21) 3301-3208.
PRESIDENT OF ELETRONUCLEAR SAYS IN INTERVIEW THAT ANGRA 3 PARTNER WILL BE KNOWN IN 2022
AUGUST 25, 26 & 27, 2021 BOOK THIS DATE
The President of Eletronuclear, Leonam Guimarães, gave an interview to the Alesfe Talks Program, on TV Senado, a space for lawyers and consultants of the Federal Senate to ask questions about relevant topics in Brazil, on the topic “Nuclear Energy”. Leonm Guimarães spoke about two important points of Provisional Measure 998/2020, which deals with structural changes in the Brazilian energy system, which is now being processed as a Bill, and will be debated again in February in the Senate, in addition to other matters that deserve this reproduction. The main excerpts from this conversation, Leonam clarified many points about the resumption of Angra 3 works: – The modeling of the resumption of Angra 3 is a topic that has been studied for a long time, it gained momentum at the end of 2017 and really started to sustain itself under the current government. The Angra 3 plant was defined as a priority project of the Investment Partnerships Program (PPI). For this, an inter-ministerial working group was created, which advised the current PPI committee. This committee determined that we hire BNDES to structure the business model. From that time until the BNDES' entry into this work, we considered in the internal studies the possibility of the entry of minority private international partners. That's what we thought. Throughout the BNDES studies, it was demonstrated that this alternative, despite being desirable and interesting, is not indispensable and necessary for the economic and financial viability of the enterprise. BNDES has been working on this model and has completed its initial report. Today, the PPI Council took the decision to send this study to the CNPE to monitor the implementation of the Angra 3 plant. This work continues to be carried out by BNDES, in its second phase, with the expectation that in 2022 the great EPC contract for the completion of the work. Today, the BNDES studies are in progress, with a series of steps necessary for this international bidding process to be carried out for the contracting of the epcista. The project is on track and is moving forward. Our objective and that of the electrical system planning is the entry of Angra 3 by the end of 2026. To ensure that this happens, Eletrobrás is providing investment support to what we call the project's Critical Path Acceleration Program. In other words, the objective is to resume the project in those parts that are part of the critical path, in order to ensure that the date of entry into commercial operation of the plant is not compromised. This investment plan by Eletrobrás in Angra 3 is the largest investment foreseen within its business master plan. The two things are coupled, working in parallel and harmonically to effectively fulfill the planned electrical energy expansion plan. The President of Eletronuclear also spoke about the observations of the Federal Audit Court (TCU): – There is great concern in the format from a legal point of view and also from the point of view of the guidelines and determinations of the TCU. It is also important to mention that all actions and activities related to Eletrobrás' investments in Angra 3 are in progress. Important investments have already been allocated in 2020. For this year, the order of magnitude of these investments is a little higher, which will allow the start of several important work fronts. The objective is not to waste time until the moment of hiring the Epecista - which is a relatively long job -, ensuring that by the end of 2026 the plant will be in operation. The resumption of work is already underway. It will converge precisely with the work that the BNDES is doing. Always remembering also that this issue runs in parallel with the capitalization process of Eletrobrás. These activities come together for a solution that addresses all these complex aspects involved. For some critics of nuclear power generation, the value of R$ 480.00 per MW/hour is too high and would harm the consumer. But this was demystified by Leonam Guimarães, who gave a definitive explanation on this issue: – This view that the consumer will be harmed is quite wrong. It assumes that electricity is a commodity, which is not in line with reality. In reality, the value of electricity depends on the characteristic of the source, the place and the time at which it is produced. For example, in the electrical system there are sources that generate basic energy, which generate energy all the time. There are also sources of an intermittent nature, such as wind and solar energy. And there are still sources with longer-term seasonality, such as hydroelectricity. Finally, you have conventional thermal energy sources, generated by fossil energy, which are extremely sensitive to the volatility of these fuel prices. So, in reality, one cannot make direct comparisons by unit price of the sources. What matters to the consumer is the total cost of the system, a value that will be shared by all of them. In the flag system, the hydric conditions increase the thermal dispatch, using more expensive sources. If we did a simulation with Angra 3 operating in Brazil at R$ 480 per MWh in recent years, the total cost of the system would be reduced and not increased. Despite this number (R$ 480/MWh), alone, it is higher than the cost of the kilowatt/hour generated by solar energy. The difference is that the flags are dispatching more and more expensive thermal energy, well above the R$ 480 value of Angra 3. This means that the impact of Angra 3 is that it is no longer necessary to dispatch thermal energy more expensive than R $480 over a year. So, the analysis of what is being passed on to the consumer cannot be the unit value of the production price of a source. What must be evaluated is the cost of the system as a whole – with and without Angra 3. In a recent simulation carried out by the National System Operator (ONS), at the request of the Ministry of Mines and Energy and presented at a public hearing at the request of the IBAMA, it was clear that by 2020 the cost of the system would drop if Angra 3 was operating. So, in reality, you are not passing on cost to the consumer, but rather reducing the total cost of the system and therefore reducing the cost of each individual consumer. The difficulty in the matter was the financing of the Angra 3 Nuclear Power Plant, which was another topic addressed in the interview: – Ground zero for the construction of the plant is June 2009. Ground zero for the construction of a nuclear power plant is always the first concreting of the slab of the reactor building. The work done previously does not characterize the beginning of construction. The great Achilles heel of nuclear power is that the capital cost is very high. It is an investment of a large volume of resources, with a very long period of maturation to give the expected return. This involves high risks, which ends up raising the cost of capital in these ventures. The interruption of the Angra 3 works, after its formal beginning, happened due to the lack of own resources to match the financing made to BNDES. This was the first reason for the interruption of the works. Then came Lava Jato, which made a solution to a new financial equation for the enterprise unfeasible. At this value, determined by the CNPE, based on the EPE study, it eliminates the costs of inefficiency. That is, all non-productive costs that occurred during that period. This value is compatible with and lower than that of plants that are currently being built at an advanced stage, such as the Hinkley Point B Plant, in the United Kingdom, and Akkuyu, in Turkey. One is a little more potent than Angra 3 and the other a little less. But they are very similar to the price of R$ 480, according to the exchange rate at the time. When this assessment was made, it was quite compatible, with Angra 3 being inferior to these two plants. In fact, that price has been expunged. These loss values were even written off, estimated by the company that was hired by Eletrobrás to investigate eventual deviations and irregularities committed by the company's managers. In other words, these unproductive aspects are not included in this value. This reference price of R$ 480 was not established by Eletronuclear, but by the CNPE through the EPE study. And then we arrive at MP 998, which, in one of its articles, says that the BNDES would establish the energy sales prices. The MP also establishes, in very clear criteria, how this price is calculated and what must be taken into account by the BNDES and the criteria. This provides important legal certainty for investment in the enterprise. Eletrobrás is making an investment and needs to be sure that the energy value is compatible with the investment to be made. Leonam Guimarães also spoke about the obstacles to the growth of the use of nuclear energy in Brazil and the great possibility of expansion of this sector: – The biggest problem faced by the production chain of nuclear energy has to do with nuclear fuel. In the Brazilian situation, nuclear fuel currently accounts for 18% of the cost of operating a plant, also considering the remuneration of capital. As we have a very small production park, the fuel production scale is very low. And on a low scale, the costs end up being higher. Eletronuclear, which is owned by Eletrobrás, is a company independent of the National Treasury. In this way, it has access to the capital market and financing. INB, which has a monopoly on radioactive materials, is a company dependent on the Treasury. In turn, it does not have access to the capital market, financing, and has great difficulty in expanding its production. To make the production of nuclear fuel economically viable, it is necessary to gain scale. For that, it has to produce more and introduce itself in the international market, becoming an actor in the international market of nuclear fuel. Brazil has large uranium reserves and the technological mastery of all stages of its processing. In other words, the country meets all the conditions to effectively be an important player in the international nuclear fuel market. Bearing in mind that stability, from a political point of view, is a very important factor. Today, several players in the international fuel market come from countries where there is a certain political and economic instability. Brazil would add security of supply to the international market. Remembering that nuclear energy generates 10% of the world's electrical energy and there are 442 plants in operation on the planet. In other words, increasing the scale of nuclear fuel production, through participation in the international market, is an element that would strengthen this production chain here in Brazil. Then there's the manufacturing of components. There is an important industrial park adapted to the manufacture of large components, which is Nuclep. The company is also involved with the Navy in the manufacture of submarines. Nuclep has all the conditions to participate in this international component market. Nuclep is also dependent on the Treasury and does not have access to financing. As these two companies will remain under the umbrella of the state, there would be no quick fix. It would have to be staggered. It is necessary to achieve a gradual independence, especially from INB, but also from Nuclep. A big step has already been taken at INB, highlighted by the President of the Republic, because Brazil has returned to producing uranium concentrate. The country spent several years without production for technical and economic reasons. Production has resumed and production is expected with great anticipation at the Santa Quitéria Mine, in Ceará, which is a phosphate mine, whose by-product is uranium. With this production, we could start thinking about meeting 100% of domestic demand, but also participating in the international market, as a way to escape dependence on the Treasury. Undoubtedly, transforming INB and Nuclep into public companies is the first step towards removing minority partners and, with greater autonomy, provide decision-making for these next steps. Angra 3 is a great lever to increase production scale. – Under pressure from environmentalists, generally without technical knowledge, the clarifications of the President of Eletronuclear are definitive, especially when referring to nuclear accidents and nuclear waste: – It is curious to call the accident in the United States, Three Miles Island, as a major accident. What accident is this that caused no casualties and no damage to the environment? It was a loss of great proportions, yes, but for the owner of the plant, because it became inoperative. But no casualties and zero damage to the environment. Fukushima. Unforeseen natural phenomenon caused the accident. No one died from radiation The Chernobyl accident was an accident that had not the technological but the cultural nature of the former Soviet Union. The culture that existed until then made it possible to put productivity ahead of safety. The head of the plant decided to make a decision contrary to the plant's operating manual. From there, more and more, the greater concept of security was born. In other words, Chernobyl was not a technological problem, but a cultural problem for those who operated the plant. The reality today is completely different. That was 30 years ago. Today, the reality in Russia is very different. The Fukushima accident was caused by a natural phenomenon with very low predictability. It wasn't expected to happen. It was an earthquake that the plant withstood perfectly, followed by a tsunami with a height at which the plant was not designed. I say again: how many radiation victims were caused by Fukushima? None. The victims of the incident were due to a hasty and unplanned evacuation. Today, by the way, this is a topic that is discussed a lot. In relation to what is said about the so-called nuclear waste, the used fuel element is still spoken as if it were garbage. From a legal point of view, neither in Brazil nor in many countries of the world, the nuclear fuel used is garbage. For a very simple reason: there is a huge energy potential still in the fuel used, which can be used by future generations, because it is a positive legacy. The economic and financial feasibility of taking advantage of this potential is limited, because it is very expensive. Calling spent nuclear fuel waste is a strictly political decision, because high-activity waste accounts for 5 to 10% of the total mass of this fuel. The remainder of the mass amount of this fuel can be recycled and is already being recycled in several places around the world. Not only in France and Russia, but also in the UK and Japan. The operator's responsibility is to keep used fuel in safe long-term storage conditions. And we are in the process of licensing a facility of this type. This installation is strictly identical to more than two hundred similar installations that exist all over the world. Especially in the United States, which has almost a quarter of the nuclear industry's international park. We are doing exactly the same thing as what is done in America, Western Europe and Japan. Questioning the security of this storage is a very strange thing. In fact, the winner of the bid we opened for the construction of this storage is an American company that has already installed more than 70 units of this type worldwide. There is no reason to question such an installation. Just look around, look at what is done in the world and who is doing this installation. SOURCE: TV SENADO / PETRONOTICIAS
NUCLEAR SECTOR REGULATORY AGENCY PROJECT COMES TO CONGRESS IN SEPTEMBER
Measure paves the way for breaking the monopoly and for partnerships in power generation, uranium mining and radiopharmaceuticals production
Despite the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 was a year of great advances for the nuclear sector, which developed a very daring agenda of debates and decisions favorable to the conclusion and implementation of old and new projects. This range of good news culminated with the announcement by the Minister Bento Albuquerque, of Mines and Energy, during the XI SIEN, considered the most complete agenda of the sector in 2020, waving investments in the order of R$ 15.5 billion from this date. year in nuclear projects in Brazil; and then by Eletrobrás, at the end of December, confirming the inclusion in its new business plan for the period between 2021 and 2025, of investments of R$ 15.3 billion in the Angra 3 project over the next five years. The Angra 3 project will be, by far, the main focus of investments by the state-owned company until 2025, consuming 37.2% of the total resources provided for in the new business plan (R$ 41.1 billion). In 2021, it will be R$ 2.8 billion; in 2022 and 2023, around R$ 3.4 billion each year and, finally, in 2024 and 2025, Eletrobrás will disburse R$ 3.2 billion and R$ 2.2 billion in the project. respectively. The Minister of Mines and Energy reaffirmed the priority of the nuclear sector in the current government, stating that actions aimed at boosting the Brazilian Nuclear Program have the unrestricted support of President Jair Bolsonaro, “who identifies the development of the nuclear sector as a priority for its management”. And he highlighted other important decisions and projects such as the flexibilization of uranium mining, the project of the national tailings repository, irradiation in agriculture, nuclear medicine with the RMB, the conclusion of Labgene and the establishment of a productive chain for the sector, a cluster nuclear power, integrating companies, laboratories and industry. All these subjects will be on the agenda of the XII International Seminar on Nuclear Energy - SIEN 2021, which this year can be online and also in person, depending on the evolution of vaccination in the country. Once again, SIEN will bring together, on the third day, debates focused on communication issues in the nuclear sector, a strategic theme to make society aware of the socioeconomic benefits of radiation technology. The date is already confirmed and can be booked on the agenda: 25, 26 and 27/08/2021. As it is also online, the event had almost 3,000 hits during the three days in 2020 and will certainly repeat its success in 2021, when we expect an even greater number of participants. Companies interested in participating in XII SIEN as sponsors, integrating the lecture schedule, promoting their brand and their solutions, technologies and experiences to the market can contact Casa Viva. Registration is also open and can be done online (www.sienbrasil.com.br) and through the event's own form, which can be requested by e-mail inscription.planeja@gmail.com. More information: siennuclear@gmail.com / casavivaoperacional@gmail.com / inscricao.planeja@gmail.com and/or by phone: (21) 3301-3208.
AMAZUL WILL PROMOTE THE CREATION OF IRRADIATION CENTERS IN BRAZIL
Technology allows the sterilization of food, medicines, cosmetics and other products
Amazul – Amazônia Azul Tecnologias de Defesa SA will promote the creation of irradiation centers in Brazil with the objective of providing nuclear technologies for the sterilization of food, medicines and other products and supplies. The project will be detailed by the CEO of Amazul, Antonio Carlos Soares Guerreiro, in a lecture at the 11th International Seminar on Nuclear Energy (SIEN 2020), on 10/29, at 12:00. Amazul, a company created to develop technologies for the Navy's Nuclear Program, Submarine Development Program and Brazilian Nuclear Program, is one of the sponsors of SIEN 2020, which will be held from October 28 to 30, 2020. According to Guerreiro, one of the clients potential of irradiation centers is agribusiness, which represents about 25% of Brazilian GDP and accounted for 43% of Brazilian exports in 2019. Irradiation eliminates bacteria and microorganisms harmful to health and increases the period of food conservation, bringing gains in productivity for the production chain. “To have an idea of the business potential, it is enough to remember that Brazil is the third largest producer of fruit on the planet and, with irradiation technology, can increase product exports”, says Guerreiro. Interest in this technology has increased. since the creation of a Technical Group to deal with the issue within the scope of the Institutional Security Office of the Presidency of the Republic (GSI-PR), under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and with the participation of various government bodies. Representatives of the productive sectors were interested in using this technology, which is not new, but is rarely used in the country. The first step is to identify equipment suppliers. The idea, according to Antonio Guerreiro, is to make an international public call for the offer of equipment and irradiation systems, in which the best solutions for each type of irradiation use will be selected. Amazul, through the contribution of funds from the end customer, will carry out the engineering project, the radiological licensing and contract the company responsible for the construction, assembly and commissioning of the equipment, as well as the inspection of the enterprise, until delivery to the end user. After the selection of suppliers, the general conditions for those interested in the productive sector in obtaining the installations will be published. technology in the country and will provide technical support to the project.Who is AmazulAmazul – Amazônia Azul Tecnologias de Defesa SA was established in 2013 to promote, develop, absorb, transfer and maintain the technologies necessary for the Navy's Nuclear Program (PNM) , Submarine Development Program (PROSUB) and Brazilian Nuclear Program (PNB). Within the PNM, it works on the project to build, commission and operate a prototype of a nuclear power reactor, totally national, and to increase the production of nuclear fuel. In relation to Prosub, it helps to develop technologies such as the Integrated Platform Management System and the Submarine Combat System. Amazul is part of the effort to increase the supply of energy in the country. In partnership with Eletronuclear, it works on extending the useful life of the Angra I Nuclear Power Plant. With INB, it prepares the project to expand the Commercial Uranium Enrichment Plant (UCEU) in Resende (RJ), within the state-owned company's program to supply the Angra plants with completely national nuclear fuel. Amazul also develops projects to prevent and treat diseases and improve the quality of life of millions of patients. It works in the implementation of a modernization program at the Radiopharmacy Center of the Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN), in São Paulo, in partnership with the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), for the production of radiopharmaceuticals. Also with CNEN, designs the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor, aimed at research and production of raw material for the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. SIEN 2020 will be 100% online and will also bring together, on the third day, the debate focused on communication issues in the nuclear sector, which were traditionally addressed at ENCOM - Meeting on Communication in the Nuclear Sector and now become an integral part of SIEN. In addition to bringing together representatives from Brazilian companies and from several countries, as it is online, the event should bring together an even greater number of participants. The 2020 edition of SIEN will bring together about 25 speakers, during two days, and another 14 debaters in the forum on communication. of up to eight new nuclear plants by 2050, within the National Energy Plan – PNE 2050. Specialists project investments of around US$ 50 billion over a period of 30 years. This represents around BRL 300 billion over 30 years, the equivalent of BRL 10 billion per year, just for new nuclear plants, in addition to the around BRL 15.5 billion planned for the completion of the Angra 3 nuclear plant. Executives from the main nuclear sector companies have already confirmed their presence, such as Eletronuclear, Nuclep, INB, Rosatom América Latina, Amazul and others. , specialists, students and researchers. All subscribers will receive event material exclusively via digital channels, with no loss of content for participants. All programming, lectures, mailings and other information will also be delivered via digital channels.More Information: siennuclear@gmail.com casavivaoperacional@gmail.com / inscricao.planeja@gmail.com and/or by tel.: (21) 3301- 3208.
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