Guila Calheiros, Secretary of Technological Development and Innovation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil, and NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV.
NEA Director-General William D. Magwood, IV and an NEA delegation visited Brazil on 2-5 July 2024 for a series of meetings with nuclear sector stakeholders. The mission provided an opportunity to take stock of ongoing engagement, explore future co-operation and learn about the latest developments in Brazil’s nuclear sector.
Strengthening co-operation between Brazil and the NEA in the fields of nuclear education, nuclear research, medical radioisotopes and nuclear law was the main focus of discussions with Guila Calheiros, Secretary of Technological Development and Innovation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. Co-operation in these areas was also discussed at the National Commission for Nuclear Energy (CNEN) in Rio de Janeiro during a workshop held with CNEN President Francisco Rondinelli Junior.
Francisco Rondinelli Junior, President of CNEN (in the middle) with the NEA delegation and CNEN senior staff.
As a pioneer in nuclear technology research in Latin America, Brazil has the capabilities to further develop nuclear technology and to share its knowledge and experience.
In this context, the NEA delegation visited the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN) in São Paulo, and toured the IEA-R1, the first nuclear research reactor in Brazil and the entire Southern Hemisphere. IPEN and the NEA discussed their respective research and development projects and flagship initiatives.
The Director-General’s visit to the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN) and discussions with IPEN Superintendent Isolda Costa.
Strengthening co-operation between Brazil and the NEA, in particular in the areas of emergency preparedness and public communication, was at the centre of discussions with Minister Marcos Antonio Amaro Dos Santos and representatives of the Institutional Security Bureau of the Presidency of the Republic (GSI).
Meeting with Marcos Antonio Amaro Dos Santos, Minister of State, Institutional Security Bureau of the Presidency of the Republic (GSI).
In Brasilia, Director-General also met with João Marcos Paes Leme, Acting Secretary of Climate, Energy and Environment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss priorities in Brazil’s energy sector and plans for COP30, which will be hosted in Belém in 2025.
The meeting with Thiago Barral, National Secretary of Planning and Energy Transition at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, focused on Brasilia’s energy policy and the next steps towards completion of the third unit at the Angra Nuclear Power Plant.
The four-day visit concluded with a meeting with Eletronuclear CEO Raoul Lycurgo Leite, and lectures on the challenges and opportunities in the nuclear field at FGV Energia and the World Nuclear University.
Director-General Magwood speaks at FGV Energia.
