German-Brazilian Nuclear Agreement Turns 50 Amid Safety Concerns and Renewed Global Debate
Key Insights
The 1975 German-Brazilian nuclear agreement, aimed at constructing eight nuclear plants in Brazil, remains active despite safety risks at the Angra-2 facility.
Critics, including German Greens and anti-nuclear activists, argue the treaty is outdated, citing seismic vulnerabilities and unresolved nuclear waste issues.
Global nuclear energy is experiencing a resurgence, with Brazil and Germany revisiting nuclear policies amid geopolitical and energy security concerns.
The agreement's future hinges on Germany's coalition dynamics, with calls to replace it with renewable energy partnerships.
The German-Brazilian nuclear agreement, signed in 1975 under Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and Brazil's military dictatorship, marks its 50th anniversary amid mounting safety concerns and political scrutiny. Originally hailed as a technological milestone, the treaty envisioned eight nuclear power plants, a uranium enrichment facility, and a reprocessing plant in Brazil, with Siemens leading the collaboration. Today, only the Angra-2 plant operates, plagued by seismic risks, landslides, and unresolved nuclear waste storage issues. Critics, including German sociologist Luiz Ramalho and Green Party lawmakers, have long campaigned to terminate the agreement, which requires five-year renewal cycles. Despite near-success in 2024 under a center-left coalition, the effort stalled after the government collapsed. The Greens, rooted in anti-nuclear activism, highlight the project's failures: Angra-3 remains unfinished, while Angra-2, completed in 2000 after 24 years, became the world's most expensive nuclear plant at the time. Harald Ebner, a Green MP, told DW, "Brazil and Germany were both on the wrong track with the agreement, which failed in many respects." Meanwhile, nuclear energy is gaining traction globally, with over 40 countries exploring expansion, per the International Energy Agency. Brazil, where nuclear power contributes just 3% of electricity, has shown renewed interest under President Lula da Silva, who recently discussed small modular reactors with Russia's Vladimir Putin. In Germany, the nuclear debate has reignited despite the 2023 phaseout, with some politicians advocating for reactor reactivation. The agreement's fate now rests with Germany's SPD-led coalition, which seeks to pivot toward renewable energy partnerships. However, geopolitical tensions complicate matters, as Russia's Rosatom supplies uranium to Brazil, processed in German facilities exempt from sanctions. Miriam Tornieporth of anti-nuclear group ausgestrahlt e.V. argues, "This cooperation is totally out of date." As the treaty's renewal looms, its legacy underscores the challenges of balancing energy security, safety, and climate goals.