Brazil's nuclear sector attracts foreign interest, says local association

There is growing interest from foreign companies in investing in Brazil’s nuclear sector, Celso Cunha, president of the local nuclear activity development association Abdan, told BNamericas.

The movement follows the resumption of the global debate on energy security, decarbonization, and the expansion of firm generation.

“Multinationals with a well-established presence in the international market are showing interest and, in some cases, already have an active presence in the country, such as Westinghouse, Framatome and Rosatom,” Cunha noted.

He emphasized that these companies are closely monitoring opportunities related to the completion of ongoing projects, the advancement of small modular reactors (SMRs), the strengthening of the production chain, and the expansion of the fuel cycle in the country.

“Foreign interest exists and tends to intensify as the regulatory environment advances and gains greater predictability,” said Abdan’s president.

Brazil currently has two nuclear power plants in operation, both in the state of Rio de Janeiro: Angra 1 and Angra 2, with installed capacity of 657MW and 1,350MW, respectively.

The National Energy Transition Plan (Plante), currently under review by the government, provides for incentives for nuclear energy, including technical subsidies and inputs to ensure operational self-sufficiency in the stages of uranium conversion, enrichment and manufacturing.

The plan includes the process of extending the useful life of Angra 1 by another 20 years and maintaining the availability and capacity factor of Angra 2 at high levels.

It also addresses enabling Angra 3 (1.405MW) to enter into operation, aligning financing, contracts and works “to a single critical path”, in addition to developing the regulatory framework for SMRs.

Additionally, the Plante includes the search for locations for nuclear sites, including environmental impact assessment studies and coordination with local communities.

New plant

The construction work on Angra 3 has been dragging on since the 1980s. In 2025, the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) approved a resolution that instructs Eletronuclear and BNDES to update and supplement the studies related to the economic–financial modeling for the completion of the plant.

In February 2026, the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) carried out an audit to assess the documentation and reference budget for contracting the remaining works of the plant, estimated at around 20 billion reais (US$3.9bn). The agency recommended that Eletronuclear, before publishing the bidding notice for contracting the EPC, revise the tender’s base budget.

The National Energy Development Plan (PDE) 2035 indicates that Angra 3 will begin operating in 2033. It also warns that the nuclear source brings special attention to the issue of waste in the Southeast region, “since radioactive waste requires special management due to its hazardous nature.”  

Opening

In Cunha’s assessment, the entry of Âmbar Energia, from the J&F group, into Eletronuclear’s capital represents an important structural change in Brazil’s nuclear sector.

In addition to the reinforcement of private investment and the diversification of capital, the 535 million reais transaction closed with Axia Energia tends to increase the pressure for efficiency and governance, favoring the advancement of nuclear projects.

He also believes that the movement can spur a review of the nuclear legal framework and foster public–private cooperation, bringing in new resources and greater agility.

(The original version of this content was written in Portuguese)