EBN – Brazilian News Agency
Rio de Janeiro, August 22, 2025
This week, Brazil completes the construction of its second nuclear power plant, Angra dos Reis, joining the already operational Angra 1. Both plants will begin operation next Sunday, August 24, following the official inauguration ceremony. The completion of Angra 2 represents an important milestone in the national energy matrix, strengthening the role of nuclear energy in electricity generation for the country.
Fast Version:
- Brazil finalizes the installation of its second nuclear power plant, Angra 2, increasing the country’s nuclear electricity generation capacity.
- Together, Angra 1 and Angra 2 account for about 3% of the national energy consumption.
- Operations will start on August 24 after construction had been interrupted due to political and diplomatic challenges, now resolved.
- The strategic location near Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo facilitates energy supply to major urban centers, while advanced technology ensures robust safety measures.
Construction and strategic location
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| (Outside of the Nuclear Power Plant, view from the sea) |
The construction of the Angra dos Reis Nuclear Power Plant began in February 2024 but was interrupted due to a complex political and diplomatic context at the time. Only now, with these issues resolved, were the works completed and the plant is ready to begin operations. The location near the coast was chosen because of its proximity to major consumption centers such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, easing electricity transmission. Also, access to seawater for the cooling system is essential to the plant’s safe operation, with the water strictly separated from radioactive materials.
Technology and safety features
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| (Water pressurization room at the Angra Nuclear Power Plant) |
Angra 1 and Angra 2 use Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR), which control nuclear fission through pressurized water—a technology radically different from that of the Chernobyl disaster. According to experts including Luiz Pinguelli Rosa, emeritus professor at UFRJ, an accident similar to Chernobyl is practically impossible because water cannot catch fire, eliminating the risk of reactor fires. Still, smaller risks remain, such as steam explosions that could release radioactive material, though the estimated probability of a severe accident is one in a million years.
Eletronuclear, the company responsible for management, has reinforced safety protocols following major global nuclear incidents such as Fukushima. Considering Brazil’s absence of earthquake or tsunami history, thorough safety assessments have confirmed the plant’s resilience against natural events, further minimizing risk.
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(Illustration shows the structure of Angra 2: 5-reactor, 6-spent fuel pool, 7-steel containment barrier, 8-concrete containment barrier, 1, 2, 3 and 4-turbines and generators, 9-control room, 10-administration) |
Fuel and containment systems
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| (Control Rod Compartment of the Nuclear Reactor of the Angra Nuclear Power Plant) |
Electricity is produced by nuclear fission of uranium atoms inside the reactor. A single uranium fuel pellet, about the size of a bullet, produces energy equivalent to 22 tank trucks of diesel fuel, illustrating the high energy density of nuclear fuel. Multiple protective layers enhance safety: molecular structures retain radioactive fission products; special metal alloy tubes encase the pellets; these tubes rest inside a reactor vessel made of three-centimeter-thick steel; and the entire system is secured within a shielding structure formed by 70 centimeters of concrete and a steel layer.
(Inside Angra Nuclear Reactor Containment Building - Protective Dome)
Recently, the 40-ton reactor lid of Angra 1 was replaced as a precaution after discovering susceptibility to stress corrosion, despite no signs of deterioration.
Risk considerations
Despite strict safety standards, residual risks remain. External impacts, such as airplane crashes, represent one concern, given the plant’s location beneath one of the busiest air corridors in the world between Rio and São Paulo. Professor Roberto Schaeffer of UFRJ highlights that although dam failures are more common in Brazil, the potential severity of a nuclear accident necessitates continuous vigilance and ongoing improvement of safety measures.
(Used Fuel Containment Pool Room at the Angra Nuclear Power Plant)
Nuclear energy’s role in Brazil
Currently, nuclear energy accounts for around 3% of Brazil’s electricity consumption — a modest share compared to hydroelectric sources like Itaipu, responsible for about 15%. With Angra 2’s entry into operation.
SOURCES OF THE NEWS ARTICLE:
EBN – Brazilian News Agency