Nuclear power in Argentina explained

In Argentina, about 10% ^[1] of the electricity comes from 3 operational nuclear reactors: Embalse, a CANDU reactor, and Atucha I and II, two PHWR German designs.

In 2001, the Atucha plant was modified to burn Slightly Enriched Uranium, making it the first PHWR reactor to burn that fuel worldwide. Atucha was originally planned to be a complex with various reactors. Atucha 2 (similar to Atucha 1 but more powerful) began to produce energy on June 3, 2014, and it is expected to produce 745MWh. Plans for Atucha III, a third reactor in the Atucha complex, have been announced.^[2]

Argentina also has various research reactors,^[3] and exports nuclear technology. Nucleoeléctrica of Argentina and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited are negotiating over the contracts and project delivery model for a new 740 MWe CANDU  nuclear power plant.^[4]

In July 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a nuclear energy cooperation agreement with Argentine President Cristina Fernández Kirchner, during a visit to the country.^[5]

In February 2015, Argentine president Cristina Kirchner and Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping signed a cooperation agreement, and the build of a Hualong One design power station has been proposed.^{[6] [7]}

In December 2015 a new uranium enrichment plant to manufacture fuel for Argentina's nuclear plants, located in Pilcaniyeu, was inaugurated. The plant will use both gaseous diffusion and more modern laser techniques.^[8]

China and Argentina had agreed a contract to build a 700 MWe CANDU 6 derived reactor. Its construction was planned to start in 2018 at Atucha,^{[9] [10]} but it was indefinitely suspended by Mauricio Macri's government due to financial issues.^[11] The building of a 1000 MWe Hualong One plant is planned to start in 2020.^[10]

Reactors

Research reactors

Name^[12]	Reactor type	Status	Capacity in kWt	Construction start date	First criticality date	Closure	Operator and owner
RA-0	Tank		0.01	January 1954	1 January 1965		National University of Córdoba
	Tank		40	April 1957	20 January 1958		National Atomic Energy Commission
RA-2	Critical assembly		0.03	January 1965	1 July 1966	23 September 1983	National Atomic Energy Commission
RA-3	Pool		10,000	February 1963	17 May 1967		National Atomic Energy Commission
RA-4	HOMOG		0.001	January 1971	1 January 1972		National University of Rosario
RA-6	Pool		3,000	September 1978	23 September 1982		National Atomic Energy Commission
RA-8	Critical assembly		0.01	January 1986	16 June 1997	2001	National Atomic Energy Commission
RA-10			30,000	March 2016	(late 2023)		National Atomic Energy Commission

Legislation

Provinces that have banned the construction of nuclear power plants are:^[13]

• Provincial Law, Nº 3902
  • Article 1: Declare the territory of the Chaco Province nuclear-free zone.

• Provincial Law, Nº 4207
  • Article 1: Prohibits throughout the territory of the Corrientes Province, installing nuclear plants.

• Provincial Law, Nº 8785
  • Article 3: It is forbidden the installation of nuclear power plants

• Provincial Constitution
  • Article 18: La Pampa is declared a nuclear-free zone, to the extent determined by a special law in order to preserve the environment. Any damage it causes to the environment will generate liability under the applicable legal regulations or as may be provided.^[14]

• Provincial Law, Nº 5227
  • Article 1: It is forbidden in the territory of the Province of Río Negro the installation of nuclear power generation plants.

• Provincial Law, Nº 5567
  • Article 1: Declare the territory of the San Luis Province a nuclear-free zone.

• Provincial Law, Nº 10753
  • Article 1: It is forbidden in the Santa Fe Province, the installation of plants and/or temporary or permanent nuclear deposits.
  • Article 3: Declare the Santa Fe Province a nuclear-free zone.

• Provincial Constitution
  • Article 56: It is forbidden in the Province. 1 - Conducting tests or nuclear tests of any kind for military purposes. 2 - Generation of energy from nuclear sources. 3 - Introduction and disposal of nuclear, chemical, biological waste or any other type or nature proven to be toxic, hazardous or potentially in the future.^[15]

• Provincial Law, Nº 6253
  • Article 47: It is forbidden in the province: b) Generate energy from nuclear sources until the international scientific community works out an appropriate treatment for nuclear waste.

See also

• National Atomic Energy Commission
• 2006 Argentine nuclear reactivation plan
• Argentina and weapons of mass destruction

Notes

Dismantled 1984-1989 after a criticality accident. Fuel removed to the United States in 2007.

Notes and References

1. News: Atucha 2 reaches 100% rated power . WNN . 19 February 2015.
2. News: Una nueva central nuclear, 30 años después . 2011-09-29 . 2011-09-29.
3. https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/36/018/36018102.pdf?r=1
4. News: Canada, Argentina and China to cooperate on Candu projects . World Nuclear News . 2007-09-05 . 2010-06-20.
5. News: Russia moves to support Argentina through new debt crisis. 13 July 2014. Argentina News.Net. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714134614/http://www.argentinanews.net/index.php/sid/223750117/scat/d9ed072d737073b4/ht/Russia-moves-to-support-Argentina-through-new-debt-crisis. 14 July 2014. dead.
6. News: Hualong One selected for Argentina . World Nuclear News . 5 February 2015 . 9 March 2015.
7. News: 'Made in China' nuclear reactors a tough sell in global market . Charlie Zhu and David Stanway . Reuters . 6 March 2015 . 9 March 2015.
8. News: Argentina resumes uranium enrichment . Nuclear Engineering International . 2 December 2015 . 9 December 2015.
9. News: Argentina-China talks on new nuclear plants . World Nuclear News . 8 May 2015 . 19 May 2017.
10. News: Argentina and China sign contract for two reactors . World Nuclear News . 18 May 2017 . 19 May 2017.
11. News: Suspenden la construcción las centrales nucleares financiadas por China 'hasta un mejor momento fiscal'. Cronista.com. El Cronista. 2018-06-25. es-LA.
12. Web site: Breve historia de los reactores nucleares de investigación y producción de la CNEA. 2018-05-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141202073807/http://www.cienciayenergia.com/Contenido/pdf/020513_rad_tn.pdf . 2014-12-02 . es.
13. http://nonuclear.org.ar/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/mapa_4.swf Legislation map
14. http://catastro.lapampa.gov.ar/index.php/constitucion-de-la-provincia-de-la-pampa La Pampa Constitution
15. http://ciudadano.tierradelfuego.gov.ar/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/const_tdf.pdf Tierra del Fuego Constitution