Regulatory Framework of Nuclear Energy in Brazil

Abstract

This chapter deals with Nuclear Energy in Brazil, with emphasis in the legal and regulatory framework. A briefing on present situation and structure of nuclear energy area, the regulatory issues under discussion, the current governance with identification of the main national and international actors are also part of the paper. Some suggestions for a nuclear policy to be adopted in the next future are also presented. These suggestions have been based in the practices of main countries in the world with a solid nuclear industry as well as the opinion of main representative persons in nuclear energy in Brazil. All this discussion can only be made if an analysis of the economic and strategic framework is used as a basis and the main difficulties over the years presented according to different concepts on how to develop the area in Brazil (buying hand key Nuclear Power Plants (NPP), developing all nuclear fuel cycle and NPPs based on foreign technology only, using national technology only or using national technology and making Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreements with foreign countries which is currently the most common choice by a number of countries.