Latin America:

Brazil Ready To Enrich Uranium
23 January 2006

AGENCIA BRASIL (BRAZIL) – Brazil’s first uranium enrichment facility, in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, begins operation at the end of January 2006. Operated by Industrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), the factory will supply 60% of the enriched uranium needed by the country’s two nuclear power plants, Angra I and Angra II, between now and 2012 – supplying 100% of the country’s enriched uranium by 2015. The Brazilian Navy, supported by the National Institute of Nuclear Research (IPEN), developed the technology for the facilty, which cost $172 million to build. Operation at the Resende facility makes Brazil the ninth nation capable of enriching uranium on an industrial/commercial scale.

Source Reliability: 7.0