At the end of the 1990s, Brazil’s energy sector faced deep changes, evolving privatization of state owned electric companies and the restructuring of the electric sector. The Government has decided to focus the role of the State on policy making and market regulation, phasing out its previous involvement as owner of the major economic agents.

In that context, the federal Government created two agencies responsible for regulation and inspection of the electricity sector — Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL⁽¹⁾) and the oil and gas sector — Brazilian Agency for Oil, Natural Gas and Biofuels. In the power sector it also created the Brazilian System Operator⁽²⁾ and the Chamber of Electric Energy Commercialization⁽³⁾. In 2004, the federal Government decided to establish the Energy Research Office⁽⁴⁾, which heads energy planning according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy⁽⁵⁾ policies.

In the power sector, a new regulatory framework was set up in 2004, after energy rationing in 2001–2002. This regulatory framework represented significant fine tuning of the power sector in Brazil, particularly in energy planning, juridical security and regulatory stability, energy auctions and universal access programmes.

As stated in the first article of federal law No. 9478⁽⁶⁾, the Brazilian energy policy is composed of 18 objectives, shown below:

1. Preserve the national interest.

2. Promote development, expand the labour market and enhance energy resources.

3. Protect the interests of consumers with regard to price, quality and availability of products.

4. Protect the environment and promote energy conservation.

5. Ensure the supply of petroleum products throughout the national territory, in accordance with the Constitution.

6. Increase the use of natural gas in economic bases.

7. Identify the most appropriate solutions for the supply of electricity in different regions of the country.

8. Use alternative energy sources, through the economic use of inputs available and applicable technologies.

9. Promote free competition.

10. Attract investment in energy production.

11. Increase the country’s competitiveness in the international market.

12. Increase the use of biofuels in the energy matrix, considering economic, social and environmental bases.

13. Ensure the supply of biofuels throughout the national territory.

14. Encourage the power generation from biomass and its by-products, owing to its clean, renewable and complementary character to hydraulic sources.

15. Promote the country’s competitiveness in the international biofuels market.

16. Attract investment in infrastructure for transport and storage of biofuels.

17. Promote renewable energy research and development.

18. Mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants in the energy and transport sectors, including the use of biofuels.

According to the Brazilian Energy Balance 2018⁽⁷⁾, Brazil’s energy mix has 43% renewables, among the highest of the global rates (average 13.7% in 2015). The share of renewable energy in electricity is slightly above 80%, while the global rate is only 23%.

According to the 2027 Brazilian Energy Expansion Plan (PDE 2027⁽⁸⁾), the energy required to boost the economy will reach 325 million toe in 2027 (in 2017, this consumption was 260 million toe).

In December 2015, during COP21 (21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), Brazil committed to reducing, by 2025, its greenhouse gas emissions in 37% compared to 2005 levels and, as a subsequent indicative contribution, reducing, by 2030, greenhouse gas emissions by 43% under the same comparison basis. It is worth mentioning that Brazil’s intended nationally determined contribution comprises its whole economy and is based on flexible ways of achieving these objectives. In other words, the achievement of these objectives can occur in different manners, with different contributions from the economic sectors.

According to the Brazilian Energy Balance 2018, Brazil’s electricity sector emitted, on average, a very low index when establishing comparisons with countries of the European Union, the United States of America and China.

Table 1 shows estimated available energy sources in Brazil.

TABLE 1. ESTIMATED AVAILABLE ENERGY SOURCES

	Fossil fuels			Nuclear	Renewables
	Solid (106 t)	Liquid (10ł mł)	Gas (106 mł)	Uranium (t)	Hydro (GW)	Other
						renewable
Total amount in specific units	32 259	4 729 440	703 267	309 370	135	—
Total amount in exajoules (EJ)	294.0	76.0	15.4	90.2	3.5	—

Note: Solid = coal, liquid = oil, gas = natural gas.

—: data not available.

Source: www.epe.gov.br/pt/publicacoes-dados-abertos/publicacoes/BEN-Series-Historicas-Completas.

Table 2 shows energy statistics for Brazil.

TABLE 2. ENERGY STATISTICS (PJ)

	2000	2010	2015	2017	Compound annual growth rate (%)
					2000 to 2017
Domestic Energy Supply [PJ]
- Total	7 956.7	11 250.2	12 546.7	12 278.5	2.6%
- Solids	544.2	605.5	737.9	703.0	1.5%
- Liquids	3 631.8	4 258.6	4 673.6	4 449.6	1.2%
- Gases	429.4	1 152.9	1 715.4	1 588.4	8.0%
- Nuclear	75.6	161.5	161.4	175.6	5.1%
- Hydro	1 255.2	1 576.9	1 419.2	1 466.3	0.9%
- Other/Renewables	2 020.5	3 494.9	3 839.3	3 895.7	3.9%
Energy production [ktoe]
- Total	6.4	10.6	12.0	12.7	4.1%
- Solids	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	(1.8%
- Liquids	2.7	4.5	5.3	5.7	4.5%
- Gases	0.6	1.0	1.5	1.7	6.7%
- Nuclear	0.0	0.1	0.0	—	(100.0%
- Hydro	11	1.5	1.3	1.3	1.2%
- Other/Renewables	2.0	3.6	3.8	3.9	4.0%

Note: Domestic Energy Supply = Production of primary energy + Imports ( Exports (+() Inventory variation ( Non-utilized – Reinjection.

Imports and exports refer to primary and secondary sources.

Liquids = oil and its products.

Solids = coal and coal coke.

Gases = natural gas.

Other/Renewables = firewood and charcoal, sugarcane products, wind and solar power, other renewables and other non-renewables.

—: data not available.

Source: www.epe.gov.br/pt/publicacoes-dados-abertos/publicacoes/BEN-Series-Historicas-Completas

According to ANEEL⁽⁹⁾, the installed generation capacity in 2019 is almost 170 GW, with over 64% hydro, 25% thermal energy (including natural gas, biomass, nuclear, etc.), 9% wind and 2% solar energy. According PDE 2027⁽¹⁰⁾, the installed generation capacity will reach over 216 GW in 2027, with over 54% hydro, 23% thermal energy, 13% wind, 4% solar and 6% “peak alternative” (for instance, thermal, storage or demand side management).

According to PDE 2027, transmission lines will reach almost 200 000 km (compared to 140 000 km in 2017).

Considering the regulatory framework of power sector in Brazil established in 2004, new generation competes for long term contracts in auctions to supply the regulated market or bilaterally negotiate their contracts to supply free (eligible) consumers.

Regulated auctions are periodic and organized every year for future delivery: “A(x”, where “A” is the delivery year (A(3, A(4, A(5, A(6, etc.). The main aspects of these auctions are the following:

• Meet the regulated consumers’ demand in the long term (as declared by their respective distribution utilities) and serve as price hedging mechanisms for consumers.

• Provide exclusivity for new generation capacity and technology specific products and contracts.

• Provide long term energy contracts for power generators (backed by firm energy).

• Contracts are denominated in BRL and indexed to inflation.

• For thermal power plants, fuel purchase instalments can be indexed to a basket of international fuel prices and foreign exchange rate.

According to Chamber of Electric Energy Commercialization⁽¹¹⁾ and Energy Research Office⁽¹²⁾, from 2005 to 2018, Brazil organized almost 40 generation auctions, contracting more than 90 GW (over 1200 power generation projects). The main energy sources of this expansion are: hydro (47%), wind (18%), natural gas (15%), biomass (8%) and solar (3%). Regarding transmission auctions, Brazil has contracted more than 70 000 km in 13 years.

In 2012, companies owned by Brazilian states and private companies, along the companies of Eletrobrás Group, were responsible for the electrical generation, transportation and distribution in different regions, which satisfied all the Brazilian demand. Today, 80% of these distribution companies, previously owned by Brazilian states, is owned by the private sector owing to a privatization programme. About 75% of the generating capacity in the country is still government owned.

Additionally, it is important to mention that another round of policy innovation is ongoing, mainly in the fields of renewables, distributed energy resources, consumer empowerment and digitalization. Capacity expansion did occur in Brazil in recent years but it is important to recheck the model, with the objective to adapt for the power system of the future (for instance, this recheck aims to increase incentives for efficient, decentralized decision making, improvements on spot price formation, removal of legal and regulatory barriers to innovation and separation of products in the areas of energy, reliability and ancillary services).

The present model establishes a number of measures to be followed by the agents, such as a requirement for distributors and free consumers to contract for their entire demand, a new methodology to calculate physical coverage of power sale contracts, a way of contracting for hydro and thermal energy so that a better balance between supply cost and safety is assured, and a permanent supply safety monitoring structure to detect possible imbalances between supply and demand.

Distributors have to purchase electricity at the regulated contracting environment through least price auctions, in order to minimize the acquisition costs of electricity to be passed on to the tariffs of consumers.

The model also includes social insertion initiatives, by promoting the universalization of access and use of electricity for those citizens who do not enjoy this benefit yet, as well as by ensuring subsidies to low income consumers so that they can bear the costs of their power bills. These initiatives are to be funded by the Energy Development Account.

According to the PDE 2027, transmission lines will reach almost 200 000 km (compared to 140 000 km in 2017).

Table 3 shows Brazil’s installed capacity, electricity production and consumption, and Table 4 shows energy related ratios (some of the following information should be available in PRIS).

TABLE 3. INSTALLED CAPACITY, ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION (GROSS VALUES)

		2000	2010	2015	2017	Compound annual growth rate (%) 2000 to 2017
Capacity of electrical plants (GW)	G/N
- Thermal		8.41	21.76	26.31	27.12	7.1%
- Nuclear		1.97	2.01	1.99	1.99	0.1%
- Hydro		61.06	80.70	91.65	100.28	3.0%
- Wind		0.02	0.93	7.63	12.28	46.3%
- Geothermal		—	—	—	—	—
- Other/Renewables		2.21	7.93	13.28	15.44	12.1%
- Total		73.67	113.33	140.86	157.11	4.6%
Electricity production (TWh)	G/N
- Thermal		30.62	63.87	135.19	106.56	7.6%
- Nuclear		6.05	14.52	14.73	15.74	5.8%
- Hydro		304.40	403.29	359.74	370.91	1.2%
- Wind		0.00	2.18	21.63	42.37	87.1%
- Geothermal		—	—	—	—	—
- Other renewable		7.86	31.94	49.94	53.74	12.0%
- Total		348.92	515.80	581.23	589.33	3.1%
Total electricity consumption (TWh)		331.79	464.70	524.75	528.06	2.8%

Note: Thermal excludes biomass.

Other/Renewables includes biomass and solar PV.

Source: www.epe.gov.br/pt/publicacoes-dados-abertos/publicacoes/BEN-Series-Historicas-Completas

TABLE 4. ENERGY RELATED RATIOS

	2000	2010	2015	2017*
Electricity consumption per capita (kWh/capita)	1 899.59	2 373.98	2 568.32	2 543.05
Electricity production/Energy production (%)	19.6%	17.5%	17.5%	16.7%
Nuclear/total electricity (%)	1.5%	2.6%	2.4%	2.5%

*Latest available data.

Source: www.epe.gov.br/pt/publicacoes-dados-abertos/publicacoes/BEN-Series-Historicas-Completas

In 1970, a decision was made to build Brazil’s first nuclear power station through an international bid. The contract of a turnkey project for a 626 MW(e) pressurized water reactor (PWR) (ANGRA 1) was awarded to Westinghouse Electric Corporation of the United States of America. ANGRA 1 construction started in 1971, and first criticality was achieved ten years later.

In 1975, in an effort to become self-sufficient in nuclear power generation, Brazil signed an agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany to build eight 1300 MW(e) reactors (PWR Biblis B type) over a period of 15 years. Under this agreement, two of these units (ANGRA 2 and ANGRA 3) were scheduled for construction on the following year, with most of their components imported from Kraftwerk Union’s (KWU) shops in Germany. According to this agreement, the rest of the plants were to contain 90% Brazilian made components. The Brazil–Germany agreement created the Empresas Nucleares Brasileiras (NUCLEBRAS) as the Brazilian stated owned nuclear holding company. Additionally, several subsidiaries (joint companies) were established to achieve nuclear technology transfer from Germany, as shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5. NUCLEBRÁS SUBSIDIARIES

COMPANY	ACTIVITY
NUCLEP*	Heavy component manufacturing
NUCLEI*	Enrichment by jet nozzle process
NUCLEN*	Nuclear power plant architecture and engineering
NUCLAM*	Uranium prospection
FEC	Fuel element manufacturing
CDTN	Nuclear technology R&D centre
NUCON	Nuclear power plant construction
NUCLEMON	Rare earth production
CIPC	Mining and yellow cake production

*Joint Brazilian–German companies.

Brazil’s nuclear regulatory body is the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), responsible for licensing nuclear power plants and nuclear facilities, performing regulatory activities, and training and organizing personnel, according to Law 4 118 of 1962. In the early 1980’s, the Brazilian Navy embarked on a nuclear propulsion programme. The Navy’s main activity has been the development of uranium enrichment by using the ultracentrifuge process. The capability was achieved by the end of the decade, and continued through the 1990s.

Owing to several factors, especially financial, the Brazilian–German technology transfer programme stalled. ANGRA 2 and ANGRA 3 construction was interrupted several times, resulting in further delay in the Brazilian nuclear programme. Owing to Brazil’s foreign debt and high inflation, with added pressures from the privatization programme and budget cuts, Brazil’s nuclear programme was reorganized at the end of the 1980s.

In 1988, a new company, Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil SA (INB) replaced NUCLEBRÁS and its subsidiaries, with limited authority. INB became responsible for rare earths, mining of nuclear minerals, and yellow cake and nuclear fuel production, assuming FEC, NUCLEMON and CIPC activities. FEC, renamed as Nuclear Complex of Resende, was transformed into an INB Directorate. Both INB and NUCLEP, responsible for heavy equipment fabrication, became CNEN’s subsidiaries. However, both companies, INB and NUCLEP, report directly to the Ministry of Science and Technology and are administratively independent from CNEN. Responsibility for the construction of nuclear power stations was transferred to the state owned utility, FURNAS/ELETROBRAS, incorporating NUCON activities. NUCLEN maintained responsibility as nuclear power plant architect and engineer. In 1997, the architecture/engineering company NUCLEN merged with the nuclear directorate of FURNAS, a utility responsible for the bulk supply of electricity for most developed region of Brazil. The new company, named ELETRONUCLEAR — ELETROBRAS Termonuclear S/A., is responsible for design, procurement and follow-up for Brazilian and foreign equipment, and management of construction, erection and commissioning of nuclear power plants, and is the sole owner and operator of nuclear power plants in the country. Siemens sold its 25% holding in NUCLEN to ELETROBRAS when ELETRONUCLEAR was formed. NUCLEI and NUCLAM were disbanded.

Currently, Eletronuclear is focused on its Top 10 Corporate Goals, which include some important projects like the construction of its Spent Fuel Dry Storage Facility, the licence renewal for long term operation of Angra 1 NPP, and the resumption of Angra 3 NPP, among other projects of strategic importance for the company.

The Business and Management Plan also follows the directives from the Business and Management Plan — PDNG 2018–2022 of the Eletrobras System, with the goals of the five year period being monitored through the main operational performance and management, governance and socio-environmental indicators. These strategies also cover the maintenance of the safe and high performance operation of Angra 1 and Angra 2, and the resumption, according to higher definitions and in the shortest possible time, of the Angra 3 nuclear power plant project.

The current organizational structure of Brazil’s nuclear sector and the relationships among different organizations, since January 2019, is shown in Figure 1. CNEN is the regulatory body, which reports to the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications.

ELETROBRAS, responsible for planning and coordinating all activities of the electrical sector at national level, is under the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME). The remaining organizations are discussed in the following sections.

FIG. 1. Organizational structure for nuclear energy development in Brazil.

According to the 36^th Annual Operation Report of Angra 1, covering the period from 1 January to 31 December 2018, the plant operated for 325 days synchronized to the National Interconnected System.

Regarding Angra 2, according to its 18^th Annual Operational Report, issued in 2019 on similar normative bases to those of Angra 1, the plant operated for 334 days in 2018 synchronized to the National Interconnected System, with its scheduled refueling, maintenance and periodic testing outage lasting 31 days. The plant produced 10 701 345.2 MWh of gross energy with a capacity factor of 90.34%, the fifth best result in the history of the plant and the third best result considering only the years in which refueling influenced results. In August, the plant generated 965 531 MWh of net energy, the best monthly result in the history of the plant. In addition, Angra 2 operated in the year 2018 without fuel failure.

All the nuclear safety indicators suggested by the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and IAEA, and others adopted by the plant to assess safe and reliable operation, as well as measuring and monitoring the effectiveness of the operation and maintenance programmes, have met the established targets as well as all the indicators related to nuclear safety generation and availability.

In July 2018, Angra 1 and Angra 2 underwent an international evaluation, WANO Peer Review. In the final report of the evaluation, the areas of chemistry, radiological protection and training were highlighted and had no area for improvement detected, compared to the last evaluation by WANO in 2014. Information on the status and performance of Brazil’s nuclear power plants is shown in Table 6.

TABLE 6. STATUS AND PERFORMANCE OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

Reactor Unit	Type	Net Capacity [MW(e)]	Status	Operator	Reactor Supplier	Construction Date	First Criticality Date	First Grid Date	Commercial Date	Shutdown Date	UCF for 2018
ANGRA-1	PWR	609	Operational	ELETRONU	WH	1971-05-01	1982-03-13	1982-04-01	1985-01-01		88.6
ANGRA-2	PWR	1275	Operational	ELETRONU	KWU	1976-01-01	2000-07-14	2000-07-21	2001-02-01		91.2
ANGRA-3	PWR	1245	Under Construction	ELETRONU	KWU	2010-06-01	2025-09-03	2025-09-13	2026-01-01

Data source: IAEA - Power Reactor Information System (PRIS).

Note: Table is completely generated from PRIS data to reflect the latest available information and may be more up to date than the text of the report.

2.2.1. Status and Performance of Nuclear Power Plants

Hydroelectric power plays a paramount role in the Brazilian electricity system while thermal power plants (conventional and nuclear) are lower contributors to national electricity supply.

The ANGRA 1 nuclear power plant located between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, has a net capacity of 626 MW(e). It started commercial operation in December 1984. During the period 1985-1989, the plant experienced two unscheduled outages due to problems on the main condenser and main electric generator.

Construction of ANGRA 2 nuclear power plant began in January, 1976, but due to financial problems the construction of the unit was slowed down and was halted several times. The economic recovery of the second half of the 90's led to the acceleration of the unit's construction. This reactor became critical on July 14, 2000. On July 21st, 2000, at 10:16 pm, ANGRA 2 was synchronized for the first time to the Brazilian interconnected electrical grid. ANGRA 2 trial operation (a test phase of continuous operation at a 100% power level) was successfully completed on December, 2000. In February, 2001 Angra 2 started commercial operation.

The third nuclear station (ANGRA 3), a 1,405 MW(e) PWR reactor, and similar to ANGRA 2, was acquired from Siemens/KWU together with ANGRA 2. ANGRA 3 has about 70 per cent of the design work completed and 70 per cent of the imported major equipment already manufactured and stored on site. The civil works and electro-mechanical assembly activities were postponed in 1991. ELETRONUCLEAR and several independent consulting firms developed technical and economic feasibility studies for ANGRA 3, which were submitted to government authorities. Finally, on July 1st 2010, the construction of ANGRA 3 was resumed with the first concrete pouring in the Reactor Building. So far 43% of the engineering work has been completed. It is expected that Angra 3 will be connected to the grid early of the next decade, by which time it will add 1405 MW to the Brazilian electrical output.

ANGRA 1, since December 1984, has operated at full capacity, on several occasions, when it was necessary. In March 1993, the plant experienced problems with some fuel rods. It resumed energy production in December 1994. From 1994 on, the performance of ANGRA 1 followed a more reliable path, reaching its generation record in 1999, 3,976.9 GWh, with an availability factor of 96%. However, due to the restriction to operate at a maximum of 80% capacity, to ensure the safe operation of its Steam Generators, ANGRA 1 had unsatisfactory performance until 2009, when the steam generators were replaced. Since then the plant has operated at a level of excellence, having broken its generation records, consequently, in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

In July, 2002, the National Electric Power Agency approved the new installed capacity value of 1,350 MW for ANGRA 2. ANGRA 1 and ANGRA 2 play an important role in the reliability of the southeast electric system (predominantly of hydro origin), assuring continuous electric power supply to the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, where local water resources are virtually exhausted and power supply depends on long transmission lines. In 2012, ANGRA 1 and ANGRA 2 generated 16,040,790.5 GWh, with load factors of 96.0 and 89.8%, respectively.

Table 5. STATUS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

Data source: IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS, 2019).

In 2018, Eletronuclear created an organizational structure to implement the Angra 1 Life Extension Program, one of the company’s priorities in the coming years. The purpose of this new structure is to accelerate and integrate the activities carried out so far by several areas of the company. As part of this work, Angra 1 received a Pre-SALTO mission (Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation), composed of experts from the IAEA, which evaluated the unit’s life extension programme. The plant’s operating license expires in 2024, and Eletronuclear has already commenced work to renew the Angra 1 NPP current licence with the CNEN.

Eletronuclear does not have reactors in the process of decommissioning in the short term.

The prospects for the construction of new Brazilian nuclear plants are currently being considered in the long term.

The prospects for the construction of new Brazilian nuclear plants are currently being considered in the long term.

The prospects for the construction of new Brazilian nuclear plants are currently being considered in the long term.

The prospects for the construction of new Brazilian nuclear plants are currently being considered in the long term.

The prospects for the construction of new Brazilian nuclear plants are currently being considered in the long term.

Regarding information to the public, SIPRON norm NG-05 establishes the requirements for public information campaigns about emergency plans. The first public information campaign was conducted by FURNAS in 1982 before the first criticality of Angra 1. Several other campaigns have been conducted on a regular basis.

The campaigns combine information on both on-site and off-site emergency plans, including the population living in the 15 km area around the plant. These campaigns include training courses for community leaders and public school teachers, guided tours of the nuclear power plant for students from public schools, educational lectures in community associations and the distribution of informative material on a house to house basis to local newspapers, radio, TV broadcasts, buses and bus stations, schools, community associations, churches, and administrative offices.

In addition, visitors to the Site Information Center (almost 11 000 in 2018) receive general information covering nuclear energy generation, the Angra site, the operation of the plants, as well as site emergency plans.

In Brazil, all nuclear R&D activities are developed by governmental institutions. They are carried out mainly by CNEN’s six R&D institutes, which are under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Innovations and Communications, and by military technology institutes, which are under the Ministry of Defense. These ministries are responsible for the establishment of the country’s nuclear R&D policies and strategies, as well as for the provision of the necessary budget and financing mechanisms to make the corresponding R&D projects feasible.

Six nuclear research centres have been established for carrying out R&D in nuclear sciences, technology and engineering. Research reactors, accelerators and several R&D laboratories, including pilot plant facilities, were progressively set up in these centres. These research centres belong to the Research and Development Directorate of CNEN and are listed below:

1. IPEN (Săo Paulo/SP) — Nuclear and Energy Research Institute

Research reactors: two pool type reactors, one of 5 MW power and the other of 100 W power. Cyclotron: radioisotope production (⁹⁹mTc, ¹³¹I, ¹²³I, ¹⁸F, etc.). Research on fuel cycle and materials, reactor technology, safety, nuclear fundamentals, radiation and radioisotope applications, biotechnology, environmental and waste technologies.

1. IEN (Rio de Janeiro/RJ) — Nuclear Engineering Institute

Research reactor: 1 (100 kW, Argonaut type nuclear reactor). Cyclotron: radioisotope production (¹²³I, ¹⁸F, etc.). Research on instrumentation, control and human–machine interfaces; chemistry and materials, safety, and reactor technology.

1. CDTN (Belo Horizonte/MG) — Nuclear Technology Development Centre

Research reactor: 1 (250 kW power, TRIGA pool type nuclear reactor). Research on mining, reactor technology, materials, safety, chemistry, environmental and waste technologies.

1. IRD (Rio de Janeiro/RJ) — Radiation Protection and Dosimetry Institute

Research on radiation protection and safety, environmental technology, metrology and medical physics.

1. CRCN-NE (Recife/PE) — Nuclear Sciences Regional Centre of the Northeast

R&D on radiation protection, dosimetry, metrology and reactor technology.

1. CRCN-CO (Goiânia/GO) — Nuclear Sciences Regional Centre of the Central-West

R&D on underground water and environmental technologies.

Brazil has an ongoing project to build a Multipurpose Research Reactor (RMB). With a maximum power of 30 MW and powered by uranium silicate enriched up to 20%, it will have a neutron flux of over 2 × 10¹⁴ neutrons/cm²s. Upon completion of its conceptual project, the reactor’s site was chosen and environmental impact assessments were conducted.

The RMB aims to provide the country with a science, technology and innovation infrastructure of fundamental importance to the nuclear sector. The project comprises a 30 MW research reactor as well as several associated facilities and laboratories to perform the following functions: radioisotope production, with emphasis on molybdenum 99 (Mo-99); irradiation tests of nuclear fuels and materials; and scientific research using neutron beams. The reactor’s site has been chosen in Săo Paulo State, and environmental impact assessments have been conducted. Local approval and a preliminary environmental licence have been issued to RMB by the corresponding nuclear and environmental regulators. Basic engineering design has been concluded and detailed engineering design is in progress. Both designs were contracted in cooperation with Argentina.

Brazil participated actively on the Generation IV International Forum from its beginning until the conclusion of the roadmap in 2003. From that point on, the country became a non-active member.

Since 2002, Brazil has been a member of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO), coordinated by the IAEA. Brazil contributed to the project by performing two nuclear system assessment studies using INPRO methodology, and participating in three INPRO collaborative projects and some INPRO dialogue forums. In the past, the country also took part in the consortium for development of the IRIS (International Reactor Innovative and Secure) nuclear reactor, a small to medium power (335 MWe) integral type pressurized water reactor. The CNEN’s R&D institutes participated in specific design activities and some matching research.

Brazil is an active member of the international community for promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. Its role is both as recipient and as donor. Under the sponsorship of the IAEA, roughly 100 trainees come to Brazil annually for fellowship, training courses and scientific visit programmes and 50 nationals go abroad for the same purpose.

In the Latin America and Caribbean region, the main fields of cooperation are human health and food safety. Special attention is given to cooperation in radiation protection as Brazil has one of the best infrastructures in the region and is setting up a medical facility for acute radiation syndrome treatment in cooperation with France and the IAEA. Brazil is also cooperating with Portuguese speaking countries to raise radiation protection profiles and training regulators to increase safety in the use of ionizing radiation in those countries.

In the region, only Brazil, Argentina and Mexico have nuclear power programmes. Although the technological bases of the three programmes are different (HWR in Argentina, PWR in Brazil and BWR in Mexico), good cooperation in emergency planning and preparedness and safety culture are in place. Through the IAEA technical cooperation programme, Brazil also participates in the activities for NPP newcomers or those countries that are planning to increase their existing fleet.

Technical cooperation with the European Union, Gesellschaft für Anlagen-und Reaktorsicherheit and FORO Iberoamericano on operational and regulatory issues was established, including probabilistic safety assessment, digital instrumentation and control, new fuels, emergency preparedness, severe accident management, long term operation, Fukushima peer review, and regulatory competences in the nuclear area.

Appendix 1 presents the list of international multilateral and bilateral agreements signed by Brazil.

The governmental organization responsible for the licensing of nuclear power plants (NPPs) and other nuclear installations in Brazil is CNEN. CNEN, created in 1956, comprises three functionally independent directorates, whose responsibilities are:

1. Directorate of Radiation Protection and Safety: radiation protection, safety, control and licensing of nuclear power plants and other nuclear and radiation installations, safeguards and normalization.

2. Directorate of Research and Development: fuel cycle and materials; reactor technology; radiation utilization and radioisotopes application in health, industry, agriculture and environment; radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production; instrumentation and control and human–machine interface; nuclear safety; nuclear physics and chemistry, etc.;

3. Directorate of Institutional Management: human resources, administration and information management, financial reporting and control.

In August 1962, with the enactment of Law No. 4 118, a National Policy on Nuclear Energy was established with the Government monopoly of nuclear materials and nuclear minerals.

In 1981, the Environmental Policy Law was promulgated and, from 1983 to 1989, CNEN was also responsible for conducting the environmental licensing of nuclear installations. In 1989, the Brazilian Institute of Environment (IBAMA) was created and designated to conduct the environmental licensing of all installations, including nuclear facilities. CNEN is the co-authority on radiation aspects related to environmental licensing of nuclear facilities. This co-authority role means that a CNEN assessment has to be considered in the final decision by IBAMA.

In the early 1970s, owing to the needs of Brazil’s nuclear power programme, nuclear safety standards started to be used. An extensive set of rules and standards, as listed under section 3.2, regulate nuclear activities in Brazil. CNEN regulatory staff amounts to more than 300 qualified professionals. The regulatory process involves the issuance of licenses or authorizations as listed below:

1. Site approval;

2. Construction permit;

3. Nuclear material utilization authorization;

4. Initial operation authorization;

5. Permanent operation authorization;

6. Authorization for decommissioning;

7. Withdrawal of regulatory control.

Standards CNEN-NE-1.04 and CNEN-NE-9.01 establish the requirements for the licensing process for nuclear installations. The initial operation authorization is issued after safety analysis approval and for a limited period of time to complete the initial tests and to evaluate the preliminary operational experience. The permanent operation authorization is limited to 40 years. A periodic safety reassessment is conducted every ten years of operation, when the conditions of authorization can be modified or extended. A programme of inspections and audits is implemented and regular meetings with operators are held.

During the operational phase of nuclear facilities, periodic safety reports are required. Regulatory safety evaluation is conducted by CNEN through the review of the licensee’s reports as well as through periodic inspections. On-site resident inspectors are assigned for permanent supervision of operational safety.

In January 1999, a law establishing fees and taxes for license and operating authorization was approved by the National Congress and signed by the President of Brazil (Law 9 765/99). It establishes the fees for all phases of the licensing process as well as annual fees for operating units. These fees are directed to a special account to be used by CNEN in its licensing and inspection activities.

In 1981, the Environmental Policy Law was promulgated and, from 1983 to 1989, CNEN was also responsible for conducting the environmental licensing of nuclear installations.

Concerning public communication, CNEN listens to public concerns and makes available information and standards through the Internet, distributes printed material, responds to emails and participates in professional association exhibits, meetings and events. CNEN is permanently open for interviews with the media. CNEN has an Internet channel open for all kind of questions asked by the population. It also participates in public hearings and meetings whenever invited. Public representatives, such as parliamentarians and officers of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, receive timely and factual answers to all questions.