Founded on December 16, 1975 to serve the Brazilian Nuclear Program, Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados S.A.'s main goals are to design, develop, manufacture and sell heavy equipment for the Nuclear sectors; Defense; Oil and gas; Energy and others. Strategic due to the technology it dominates and the unique characteristics of its facilities and equipment, NUCLEP reinforces the Brazilian-based industry, contributing to its development and economic advancement in the country.

Associated with the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Nuclebrás Equipamentos Pesados S.A. - NUCLEP was created by Decree 76,805, of December 16, 1975, as a strategic company to serve the Brazilian Nuclear Program, being responsible for the development and production of replacement equipment for the Angra 1 and 2 nuclear power plants, as well as all components for future power plants.

In 1986, as one of the largest heavy boiler industries in the world and meeting the strategic demands of Defense of the Nation, NUCLEP produced the resistant hulls for the 4 conventional submarines of the Tupi class, type IKL-1400, of German technology, already incorporated into nautical naval fleet of the Brazilian Navy. It was at that moment, through NUCLEP's excellence, quality, and capacity, that Brazil joined the select group of submarine builders, together with the United States, Russia, China, Great Britain, Germany and France.

In 2005, NUCLEP produced, for the first time in Latin America, semi-submersible hulls for platforms, for Petrobras (P-51 and P-56), showing that the national industry was able to compete with international shipyards.

In 2011, establishing itself as part of the Brazilian naval development process, NUCLEP started the process of producing hulls for the four conventional Class Riachuelo submarines, of French technology, type Scorpène.

In 2014, NUCLEP delivered the first large nuclear equipment to the Angra 3 power plant, the Condenser. This would be the first of three that will be delivered to Eletronuclear by mid-2020.

In 2018, NUCLEP, in partnership with Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN), delivered to the Brazilian Navy the submarine Riachuelo, the first of the five conventional submarines of its Class.

In 2019, NUCLEP signs with Amazul - Amazônia Azul Tecnologias de Defesa (Blue Amazon Defense Technologies) S.A. to manufacture part of the prototype of the nuclear reactor being developed by the Brazilian Navy. The prototype is a model of the reactor that will equip the future submarines with nuclear propulsion (SN-BR).