Brazil and Russia are expected to advance cooperation on small modular reactor (SMR) technology, Brazil’s Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira said after a visit to Moscow with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“Rosatom will begin engaging with the Brazilian government shortly so we can move toward the development of small nuclear reactors, which will be vital for our energy future,” Silveira told Estadão.

The statement follows meetings last week between Lula and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where energy was a central topic. Russia already supplies enriched uranium to Brazil’s Angra nuclear plant, and discussions on SMR deployment, including floating units, have been ongoing since mid-2024.

During the talks, Lula presented draft agreements covering defence, energy and scientific collaboration during his first Moscow visit in 15 years, even as several European leaders staged a surprise show of unity with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy giant Rosatom has long been developing SMR projects abroad, including a six-reactor facility in Uzbekistan and a land-based unit in Yakutia.

Silveira also met with Rosatom subsidiary Tenex, writing on Facebook: “The aim of our meeting was to establish partnerships to both increase Brazilian uranium production and expand cooperation in the nuclear sector.”

Brazil operates two reactors — Angra 1 and 2 — supplying 3% of national electricity. The Angra 3 project remains stalled after years of delays and corruption investigations.

A working group between Brazil and Russia is expected to finalise details of their nuclear cooperation by the end of 2025.