href="http://www.animatedsoftware.com/environm/no_nukes/nukelist.htm">nuclear plants and have already expressed interest to the government. The states of Bahia and Pernambuco have proposed the concept of "nuclear." According to this concept, a single North-East will consist of two plants side by side on the banks of the Rio São Francisco, the river that makes the division between the two states. As plants can not be built on two distinct sides, the governors of Pernambuco and Bahia are willing to adapt the law of their respective states to allow a shift of borders. This transfer of a parcel of territory from one State to another would be a way to avoid a dispute policy for the installation of plants. According to the Minister of Science and Technology, it is an innovative proposal, especially since, in this case, the cost of construction of the mills could go under the initial estimate of 10 billion reais. For governors of Bahia and Pernambuco, the project is an opportunity to develop economically and socially elevate this region of Brazil, known for the production and trafficking of cannabis. The Eletrobras Termonuclear S / A, National Company, also known Eletronuclear, to begin to assess the possible location of future nuclear plants as early as March 2009. A first selection of 15 to 20 potential locations will be available in the second half of this year. In the Northeast, the technicians of the Eletronuclear express a preference for a coastal location, between the cities of Salvador and Recife. They see problems in the installation of a power on the banks of the Rio Sao Francisco. Indeed, a nuclear plant requires a large volume of water to cool its reactors. However, taking into account the average lifetime of a nuclear plant - 60 years - and the trend of lowering the level of rivers in the future, it would be prudent to install a plant in the sea as on the coast north-eastern edge of that river, as the outskirts of Rio Sao Francisco. In the Southeast, where the survey should start a little later, the choice would be for a location in the State of Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. The coastline of Sao Paulo would be a priori excluded from the selection. It is already widely held by human activities or when it is not, the area is a nature reserve. To make the investment viable, the Brazilian government claims the Congress propose changes in legislation allowing the private sector to take a minority stake in the projects, within a limit of 49%. Guilherme Camargo, President of the Brazilian Association for Nuclear Energy (Aben), which brings together technicians and researchers, says he supports the entry of the private sector in the management of nuclear assets in Brazil, but provided that such entry is made through companies Specific Proposals made by the national company. This would not require changes in the Constitution. Camargo also said that the recent cooperation agreement signed between France and Brazil in the nuclear field, suggests other alternatives to funding the work, such as French financial institutions. According to the researcher, interviewed by the "Valor Economico", "model advocated by the Minister has not yet consensus in the government."