Eletronuclear, a subsidiary of Eletrobras responsible for the operation of the plants in Angra dos Reis (RJ), maintains its operations normally after the heavy rains that fell over the region of Costa Verde, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. of January. According to a note released this afternoon (3), there is no compromise on the external emergency plan, a document that sets out evacuation procedures in case of need.
In the event of a nuclear accident, all residents within a 5 km radius of the plants would need to leave their homes. The external emergency plan calls for them to be taken to shelters located at least 15 km away.
For Eletronuclear, there are no risks. According to the agency, the Angra 1 and Angra 2 plants are operating normally at full capacity and, even if there were an accident considered unlikely, the external emergency plan could be fully implemented.
The concern about the feasibility of carrying out an eventual evacuation of residents was expressed earlier by the mayor of Angra dos Reis, Fernando Jordão. Through social media, he informed that he would ask the federal government to temporarily shut down the nuclear plants, since there were several obstructions on the federal highway BR-101, as a result of the storm. “We are stranded! If necessary, we will not be able to implement the emergency plan,” he explained.
Rains cause deaths
The rains that hit the state of Rio of January since the night of fridayFriday (1st) left at least 15 dead. Firefighters are still looking for the missing. The forecast from the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) is for more rain until tomorrow morning (4).
In Angra dos Reis alone, eight deaths have already been confirmed and another six were recorded in Paraty. Both cities are located on the Costa Verde, a coastal region in the south of the state, where the greatest impact of the rains of the last few hours was felt.
The BR-101, the highway that gives access to these municipalities, was greatly affected. According to the National Civil Defense in the early afternoon, there are 23 points closed due to fallen trees and landslides. The Federal Highway Police (PRF) warns that there is a lot of instability between Mangaratiba (RJ) and Ubatuba (SP). “The orientation is to no longer access the highway, as the stretch will only come close to being normalized within a few days”, warned the agency on its social networks.
Eletronuclear, however, ensures that the obstructions found on the BR-101 are outside the emergency planning zones provided for in the external emergency plan. In the note released, the agency also says that the shelters prepared to receive residents in an eventual accident were not impacted by the storm. “The action could be carried out with total effectiveness,” the text adds.
The National Nuclear Energy Commission (Cnen), a regulatory and supervisory body for the Brazilian nuclear sector, also issued a note evaluating the issue. “Despite the situation resulting from the weather conditions in the region of Angra dos Reis, so far there is no compromise on the access roads around the plant that could impact the execution of the emergency plan”, says the text.
