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Nuclear Energy in Latin America

Roberto Esteves

Overview

IAEA - NFCIS December 2014 Meeting

09 – 12 December 2014

Vienna

Latin America

Only Three Countries Have Nuclear Programs in LA

Present status

(2015-2020)

Maximum Scenario

2030

Argentina 1627(3NPP’s)

1654(2018)

2394 (+1NPP)

Mexico 1600(2NPP’s) 1600

Brazil 1896(2NPP’s)

3166(3NPP-2018)

4166 (+1NPP)(*)

TOTAL 5123 - 6420 8160

(*) – Author’s evaluation – one more NPP (1000MWe)

Nuclear Energy (Mwe)


Latin America

Uranium Reserves in Latin America (Metric Tonnes U3O8)

Country Uranium Reserves (t)

Argentina (15,000 Red Book) 15,000(Red Book)

+ 55,000 (CNEA Estimated)

Brazil (measured + estimated I) 450,000

Colombia 14,600

Guyana 2,700

Peru 11,900

Paraguay 500

Mexico 2,000

TOTAL 486,700

Obs.: Unless for Argentina and Brazil no other country has invested seriously in Uranium research

LA


Latin America

Occurrence of uranium in Latin America - Possibilities

The biggest Uranium Reserves in Australia and Canada occur in Pre-cambrian

geologic region as showed in the below maps, in pink color.

Also, in Brazil the discovered Uranium deposits are in the Pre-cambrian

region.

In South America the Pre-cambrian rocks occur mainly in Brazil extending

toward the Guyana.

Brazil Australia Canada

LA


Main Nuclear Programs in

Latin America

Roberto Esteves

• Brazil

• Argentina

• Mexico


BRAZIL

Current Nuclear Program


Brazilian Nuclear Program

Current Situation

• Two Nuclear Power Plants in operation, one in construction (on line in 2018).

• Self sufficiency in uranium supplies and fuel assembly fabrication.

– The actual Uranium open pit production is almost exhausted. (Caetité Anomaly 13)

• Technological autonomy in enrichment and conversion to UF6


Brazil

• Increasing the uranium-ore production:

• New projects for Lagoa Real Mineral deposit:

– Anomaly no. 09 – An open pit mining to be in production in 2016 with 350 tU3O8/y.

– Anomaly 13 – Start the underground mining to be in production in 2016 with 400 tU3O8/y.

• Itataia Uranium-Phosphate Mineral deposit:

– Foreseen production for 2018:

• 240.000 tP2O5/y and 1600 tU3O8/y

Brazilian NFC Program Outlook for the future


Brazil

Brazilian Geological Reserves

Prospecting only on

25% of the territory


Brazil

Measured

Indicated

Inferred TOTAL DEPOSITS

LAGOA REAL – CAETITÉ (BA) 94,000 6,700 100,770 ITATAIA – ST. QUITÉRIA (CE) 91,200 51,300 142,500 OUTRAS 39,500 26,600 66,100

TOTAL 224,700 84,670 309,370

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL

PITINGA - RIO CRISTALINO 150,000

t U 3 O 8

For self-sufficiency in nuclear fuel supplies is

also necessary to expand:

• Capability for Conversion to UF6;

• Enrichment services capability;

• Development programs on special alloys – Steel (on way) and Zr alloys.


Brazilian NFC Program Nuclear fuel cycle strategy

Brazil

• Irradiated fuel

– Long term interim storage.

– Management of different routes.

– HLW final disposal.

• LILW Repository.

• Challenge: How to support the back-end

costs w/ few NPP’s in operation.


Brazilian NFC Program

Challenges ahead: back-end costs

Brazil

ARGENTINA

Current Nuclear Program


Argentina

Reactor Location Type MWe First Power

Atucha 1 Buenos Aires PHWR 335 1974

Embalse Córdoba PHWR 600 (*) 1983

Atucha 2 Buenos Aires PHWR 692 06/2014

Total 1627

Operating Nuclear Power Reactors

Reactor Location Type MWe First Power

Carem 25 Buenos Aires CAREM 27 2018

Atucha 3 Buenos Aires PHWR? 740? ?

Atucha 4 Buenos Aires PHWR? 740? ?

Total 2285

Under construction, planned or proposed

Total Electric installed capacity: 35 Gwe

(*) Embalse would be upgraded in 35 MWe


Argentina

Nuclear Fuel Cycle in Argentina


Argentina

Uranium Exploration

-Argentina Uranium Resources is 15,000 (Red

Book) tonnes.

-There is an expectation to reach more 55,000

tonnes w/aditional mineral research.


Argentina

FUEL CYCLE FACILITIES

• CONUAR PLANT - UO2 Fuel production for Atucha

I, II and Embalse. RBU process in use – 160t/y

• Heavy water is produced by ENSI* with 200t/yr

plant.

• Fuel cladding is produced by CNEA subsidiary.

Argentina


(*) Empresa Neuquina de Serviços de Ingenieria

MEXICO

NUCLEAR PROGRAM STATUS


ENERGY STRATEGY

• The National Energy Strategy in 2010 intended to

have 35% of its Power Capacity generating from

clean sources up to 2024.

• That should demand investments on carbon-free

and/or low-carbon power generation.

Mexico


Electricity Supply Breakdown in Mexico

Source Energy supplied

(%)

Gas 52

Oil 16

Coal 12

Hydro 14 (*)

Nuclear 2,2 (*)

Others 3,7 (*)

Mexico

Clean sources (*)

35 - 19.9 =15.1%


19,9 (*)

It will be necessary to add 15% of energy from clean sources up to 2024

Reactors Model Net MWe Operating

since

Decomission

on

Laguna

Verde I

BWR 800 1989 2029

Laguna

Verde II

BWR 800 1994 2034

Total - 1600 - -

Operating reactors in Mexico

Mexico

Due to the low gas oil prices verified , the decision on building more

NPP was postpone.


Uranium Reserves

• Uranium Mines

• There is no uranium mine in exploration in Mexico.

• However, 2000 tons of uranium reserves were found

across the country. No regular mineral research is

currently underway.

Mexico


NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE

• There is no Commercial Facility providing fuel

fabrication services in Mexico.

• The pilot/laboratory plants for conversion and fuel

fabrication have been decommissioned.

• There exist a Plant for Fuel Assembling that is in

standby (~20 LWRFA/year capacity)


Mexico

Nuclear Energy in Latin America

Roberto Esteves

THANK YOU


nuclear energy in latin america - atoms for peace and ... energy in latin america ... paraguay 500...

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