Brazil and Russia plan to develop small nuclear reactors

Brazil and Russia will explore options for cooperation in uranium mining and the joint development of small modular reactors. This was stated by Brazil’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira de Oliveira, as quoted by Petronotícias.

According to him, the Russian side will become involved in the planning process within the uranium mining sector and assist in assessing existing opportunities.

“At present, we are aware of only 26 per cent of our potential, and even so, we rank 6th in the world in terms of uranium reserves. Russia will help us to determine what is located in the remaining areas of our territory,” said the Minister, adding that Brazil should produce nuclear fuel from its own uranium reserves rather than purchasing it from abroad.

Silveira also stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously instructed that a partnership with the Brazilian government be concluded as soon as possible to jointly develop small nuclear reactors, which, he said, would be crucial for the future of Brazil’s energy sector and would support data centres required for artificial intelligence technologies.

He noted that Russia, like China, has reached a level of capability that allows for the reuse of nuclear waste. According to him, the final disposal of such waste remains one of the main challenges facing global nuclear energy.

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