The memorandum was signed by Ivan Dybov, President of Rosatom America Latina, and Denis Cherednichenko, General Director of United Innovation Corporation, on the Russian part and Daniel Alejo Perticaro, President of the Latin American Irradiation Association. The document lays the ground for joint projects to promote nuclear technologies in Latin America. Its scope covers technology exchange, visits to irradiation centers, staff training, environmental monitoring and protection projects.
“The Latin American Irradiation Association is a major player on the local irradiation technology market,” Ivan Dybov said in his interview to Rosatom Newsletter. “It brings together businesses that are yet considering irradiation projects and those that are already implementing them. Our main goal is to establish contacts with the Association and demonstrate our technologies so as to promote them more effectively to the target audience.” According to Mr. Dybov, irradiation technologies offer very good prospects for Latin America. “Rosatom is not alone in its estimates. IAEA holds the same view and believes that this region will need technologies for sterilization and long-term storage of agricultural produce,” Ivan Dybov said.
He mentioned an irradiation unit that was built in Peru by Russia in the 1990s and has been in operation since then. “The Peruvian Government is now considering a power uprate for the existing unit and construction of two more irradiation units. This is why Rosatom views Peru as an important market. Uruguay is another country that shows interest in our products. We also have plans to construct a medical product sterilization facility in Brazil. We have found a Brazilian investor for the project and hope to sign a shareholder agreement soon.”
Daniel Alejo Perticaro pointed out that Latin America was set to expand peaceful uses of nuclear technologies, particularly in irradiation. “As President of the Latin American Irradiation Association, I am very glad to sign the memorandum that will support our mission to introduce the latest, most efficient technologies in Latin America. The development of nuclear technologies is in the interest of the entire region, including Mexico, Brazil and Bolivia,” said Mr. Perticaro.
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Operating through its office in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rosatom has long been working with many of Latin American countries. Brazil is one them, purchasing isotopes, mostly iodine-131 and molybdenum-99, from Rosatom. Molybdenum-99 is also supplied to Argentina, Russia’s another partner in the region since 2014 when the two countries signed a framework agreement on nuclear cooperation. Further plans are to supply nuclear fuel cycle products and nuclear medicine components. In Bolivia, Rosatom is going to build a nuclear research and technology center. Mexico is another country with a great potential for broad nuclear cooperation. The Russian-Mexican agreement on peaceful uses of nuclear power took effect on 18 August 2015. Russia supplies 100% of enriched uranium used by this Central American country. Uranium shipments will continue till 2024. Mexico has recently announced its intention to tender out a contract for nuclear plant construction, and Rosatom is following developments.
