BRASILIA, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Brazil's government expects

to decide by mid-year whether to resume construction of the

long-delayed Angra 3 nuclear power plant or abandon it more than

40 years after work began, the country's Management Minister

Esther Dweck said on ​Thursday.

Dweck, who oversees the governance of federal state-run

companies, told ‌Reuters that the debate remains open but warned

that cancelling the project could undermine Brazil's broader

nuclear power strategy.

"The cost of not ⁠continuing is very close to the cost of

continuing," she said, adding that the government ⁠will start

talks with the new private shareholders in state-controlled

Eletronuclear, which owns ‌Angra 3, before ‌a final decision.

J&F, the holding company controlled by the Batista brothers

and the owner of meatpacker JBS, agreed in October to ​acquire a

stake in Eletronuclear from Axia Energia, ‌which was formerly

Eletrobras.

Brazilian development bank BNDES estimated in November the

remaining investment required to complete Angra 3 at 24 billion

reais ($4.65 billion), while it would cost between ​22 billion

and 26 billion reais to abandon ​it.

This estimate ‌would include contract terminations, site

demobilization, repayment of tax incentives and penalties linked

to subsidized financing of the proposed plant at the multi-unit

site located in the coastal town of ⁠Angra dos Reis.

Construction of the nuclear plant began in the 1980s but has

faced ⁠multiple stoppages due to funding shortages and a 2015

corruption probe. An attempt to revive it in 2022 faltered.

Dweck also highlighted the wider strategic importance of

nuclear capabilities, noting that only China, the United States,

Russia and Brazil have mastered the full uranium fuel cycle.

However, Brazil is the ⁠only one ‌using it exclusively for

non-military purposes, she added.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da ‌Silva's government is divided

over Angra 3, with the final decision resting with Brazil's

National Energy Policy ⁠Council (CNPE).

The finance ministry says power produced by Angra 3 would be

costly, while the mines and energy ministry says it would add

reliable, low-carbon supply which is aligned with Brazil's

energy transition goals.

POSTAL SERVICES

Dweck also said the government is awaiting progress on a

recovery plan at state-run postal operator Correios before

deciding on a capital injection of up to 6 billion reais, which

could be disbursed this year, in 2027, or split ​across both.

Correios recently raised 12 billion reais in Treasury-backed

loans and is undergoing a restructuring that includes layoffs,

unit closures, asset sales, and new partnerships.

Dweck also said the group is in talks with ​state-owned bank

Caixa Economica Federal and private ‌banks to expand financial

services and diversify revenue.

($1 = 5.1664 reais)