Rio, October 21, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - At the installation, Monday (20), in Rio, of the executive board of Nuclebrás Heavy Equipment S/A (Nuclep), the Minister of Science and Technology, Roberto Amaral, underscored activities for the recovery of the company, which currently shows an annual deficit of R$ 40 million.

According to Amaral, the company could, for example, participate in the reconstruction of the missile launching platform at the Alcântara Base (MA) and provide equipment for the construction of Petrobras's platforms P-51 and P-52 and for the shipbuilding industry, which is going through a phase of recuperation. The company could also develop services for the entire heavy industry sector, as well as study the possibility of setting up joint ventures with the governments of Ukrania, China, and the United States, countries with big nuclear energy plant construction programs.

Amaral defended the construction of Angra III, which, according to him, has a defined terrain and has already imported the equipment it needs. He said that a definition about the plant would represent "an extraordinary leap for Nuclep and for Rio de Janeiro, since the orders would be placed here."

Nuclep was created on December 16, 1975, to serve the Brazilian Nuclear Program. (DAS)