Licensing aspects of the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB)

Abstract

The Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB) is a project funded by the Brazilian Government by means of the Ministry of Science Technology Innovation and Communication. RMB will be the new Brazilian research reactor, constructed to attend three main purposes: radioisotope production, R&D and material testing. It will be sited 125 km away from S~ao Paulo, strategically, at a Nuclear Compound, where a state owned pole of nuclear technology is located. To construct and operate the RMB facilities, as required by the National Environmental Policy, it is necessary, in addition to the nuclear licensing process of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), to conduct all the environmental licensing stages with the Brazilian Environmental Agency (IBAMA). Given this regulatory scenario, based on the standards, guidelines and legal requirements of the IAEA, CNEN, IBAMA and other Brazilian o cial agencies, since 2012, the activities required to comply with the protocol for obtaining initial environmental and construction licenses is being implemented. This paper aims to show a timeline about this process, update the community and register further steps. The RMB entrepreneurs carried out the Environmental Impact Assessment issued the Local report for the radioprotection directory and held three public hearings. Those, among other e orts, resulted on the Local Approval License, which was issued by CNEN Deliberative Commission and on the Initial Environmental License issued by IBAMA. Both of these permits were placed in 2015. Since then some activities for complying with the permit conditions is being performed at the site and properly reported in order to obtain the installation license from the agency.