Brazil, which is looking for a solution to its fitful electricity generation, will turn to the private sector for its next generation of nuclear power plants, Energy Minister Eduardo Braga said this week.
Braga said the Angra 3 nuclear reactor under construction in Angra dos Reis in southern Brazil would be the last one built as a public works project. Brazil’s state-owned utility Elctrobras is seeking for a site to build four new reactors and is currently considering 21 sites for the country’s second nuclear power facility.
The government plans to open the bidding process to private companies and offer financial guarantees on the projects, Reuters reported.
Braga said Brazil also has the capacity to be self-sufficient regarding enriched uranium, as it has one of the world’s largest uranium reserves.
Brazil has 5.2 percent of the world’s uranium reserves. By comparison, the United States has 3.8 percent of the world’s uranium reserves, according to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Brazil currently relies on hydro-power for two-thirds of its electricity generation. Seasonal dry spells, however, effect generation capacity to the point where Brazil is considering an expansion of nuclear power in its energy mix.