Alexandre Silveira also expressed his intention to visit China soon to learn about small nuclear reactor technology, due to its potential to decarbonize the Amazon region.

The Minister of Mines and Energy of Brazil, Alexandre Silveira, highlighted this Thursday the growing investments of Chinese companies in the Brazilian energy sector, and expressed his intention to visit China soon to learn about the technology of small nuclear reactors, due to their potential to decarbonize the Amazon region.

In a virtual press conference with foreign correspondents, Silveira highlighted the presence of Chinese companies such as State Grid in the transmission and distribution of electrical energy.

According to the minister, Chinese investments in his country gained renewed momentum after the visit of the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to China last year and the resumption of dialogue with the globalized world.

The minister highlighted the relevance of the investments of State Grid, which last week signed with the Government the largest energy transmission contract in Brazilian history, with nearly US$3.5 billion in investments.

The project will contribute to the transmission of a good part of the renewable energy, produced from solar and wind sources in the Northeast region, to other areas of the country.

"State Grid has been an investor in Brazil for several years, but now, after the dialogue that President Lula had in China in the past, it is investing in Brazil with much more vigor, in transmission, distribution and generation, and is even studying projects in other energy matrices in the country," said Silveira.

He mentioned the interest in exploring projects in various energy sources, including nuclear for use in the decarbonization of the Amazon, where generation is currently carried out through thermoelectric plants.

"I want to be in China soon to discuss small nuclear reactors. I want the technology of the company, which already produces small nuclear reactors. I even want to go to make a decision regarding how to continue decarbonizing the Amazon, and if it is economically viable," he explained. .

He recalled that Brazil is a major producer of uranium, with the sixth largest reserve in the world, and the possibility of diversifying the energy matrix of the South American country.

"We have the sixth largest identified reserve on the planet. We cannot rule out this other matrix, which is very important, especially after the war and all this instability," he said.

He highlighted that Brazil is one of the few countries in the world that has the complete uranium manufacturing chain for peaceful purposes, and the pellet technology for energy production.

The minister thanked Chinese investors for their confidence in Brazil and pointed out the growth potential in the energy sector in general and in biofuels in particular.

"In short, I want to visit China, I want to highlight its importance and thank investors for their trust in Brazil," he said.

"In terms of opportunities in the energy and biofuels sectors in Brazil, we are going to have great opportunities, with great results for its investors," he concluded.