Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Lula resumes nuclear program to make Brazil 'world power'

... "Brazil could rank among those few nations in the world with a command of uranium enrichment technology, and I think we will be more highly valued as a nation -- as the power we wish to be," Lula said at the navy's Technological Centre in Sao Paulo.

"If money was lacking, it won't be lacking now," Lula said. Finishing the nuclear submarine would cost an estimated 68 million dollars over eight years, he said.

...Brazil has the world's sixth largest reserves of uranium, and completing the nuclear submarine would help Brazil to learn uranium enrichment.

Brazil could then command the complete nuclear fuel cycle, from mining to recycling, navy commander Julio Moura said recently. A submarine-size reactor could also power a small city, he said.

From the Times of India