Brazil to develop comprehensive nuclear plan. May include 7 new reactors.

[NNadir]

Here's some news from Brazil:

NB06.11-6] Brazil: The government is developing a National Nuclear Energy Plan which, if approved by the Congress and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will include completion of the Angra-3 reactor and then construction of up to seven new reactors. Brazilian Science and Technology Minister, Sergio Rezende, is quoted as stating that Brazil plans to receive 5% of its electricity from nuclear, an increase from the current level of around 1-2%. (FreshFUEL, 13 March, p4; Ux Weekly, 13 March, p5; see also News Briefing 05.36-8)

http://www.world-nuclear.org/nb/nb06/latestnews.htm

[Dead_Parrot]

1. That's more like it... nt

[tocqueville]

2. wait until they sell some to Chavez... nt

[Vogon_Glory]

3. I Hope They Have Better Sense Than To Use The Old Soviet Designs n/t

[Dead_Parrot]

4. was there a big Brazil-Soviet nuclear pact I missed?

:shrug:

(edit to remember which thread it is!)

[NNadir]

5. If you are speaking of the RBMK, no one will ever build another.

The Russians will, however, be a major vendor of Pressurized Water Reactors, the VVER. They are also pioneers in the field of thorium fueled pressurized water reactors, some of which will achieve burn-ups of over 100,000 MW-day/MTHM.

Forty-eight of the world's operating nuclear reactors are VVER reactors. Three more are under construction, including the Iranian reactors that have garnered so much attention.

Russia has 4 reactors under construction, 1 more on order, and is planning 8 more beyond that. If memory serves me well, they will all be of the VVER design.

The Brazilian Angra reactors are all Westinghouse PWR designs.

I don't know what kind of reactors Brazil is contemplating for the other 7 reactors. They may be Russian; they may not.