beyondbrics

Japan has suffered “a disaster of gigantic proportions” but that’s no reason to abandon Brazil’s nuclear plans, according to Edson Lobão, the country’s mines and energy minister (pictured).

Brazil is currently building its third nuclear reactor and plans more over the next few decades as a way of diversifying its energy resources.

Brazilian plants have the benefit of newer protective plating, Lobão said. But, most importantly, Brazil has the benefit of not having earthquakes (well, not on the scale of those in Japan anyway).

The country’s geology researchers have worked out that the type of seismic tremors capable of putting Brazil’s nuclear reactors at risk are only likely to happen about once every 50,000 years.

The reactors, located on the coast in Rio de Janeiro state, are also housed in buildings reinforced with concrete and steel bars and monitored by an earthquake warning system, according to government-controlled Eletronuclear, a subsidiary of electricity utility Eletrobras.

But this has not stopped some local newspapers sending out panicked headlines about the impending meltdown. “Brazil does not have a contingency plan to evacuate the city of Angra dos Reis,” reports the Folha de São Paulo, referring to the area where the reactors are based – which, as well as the power stations, has some of Brazil’s most spectacular scenery and beach resorts.

Meanwhile, the real concern is for Brazil’s people right now. The country is home to the largest population of Japanese outside Japan, many of whom are struggling to contact relatives and friends.  A local cable TV provider has even opened up its Japanese language channel to all customers in an effort to help out the community.