Safety issues regarding Brazil's controversial nuclear power programme came into focus after a local magazine recently reported a four-month-old nuclear plant accident, which was not made public by officials. On May 28, 2001, gallons of slightly radioactive water had leaked from the main system of Angra I plant, but an emergency tank had contained the leak. Following this, the plant was shut down for a week. Officials say that since the accident never posed any danger to the health of the workers or to the environment around the two-reactor Angra complex, it was not reported.

Greenpeace, an international pressure group, said this event could signal a possible moratorium on new reactors. The spill was apparently caused by a human error, and