Argentina Continues Nuclear Program

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Researched by Industrial Info Research Latin America (Cordoba, Argentina)--Following the recent events in Japan, the institutional relations manager of the National Atomic Energy Commission of Argentina (CNEA), Argentina's nuclear regulatory agency, told media that nuclear power plants in Argentina do not run the same risk as the plants in Japan, as they use a different technology and are located in areas of very low seismic risk.

Japanese nuclear power plants use pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Argentina uses pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs), which decrease the risk of accidents compared to PWRs.

Argentina is not in a tsunami-prone area, and the possibility of earthquakes in the areas where the nuclear power plants are located is almost non-existent. When nuclear plants were built in the country, they were designed for maximum expected accidents (adopting safety standards according to geological and climatic conditions, adhering to international agreements).

Argentina currently has two operating nuclear plants, Atucha I (357 megawatts (MW)) (Zarate, Argentina) and Embalse (648 MW) (Embalse Rio Tercero, Argentina). By the end of this year, the 335-MW Atucha II plant (Zarate) is expected to be operational. It also uses PHWR technology. The three plants belong to Nucleoelectrica Argentina SA. Construction of two additional reactors (Atucha III and Atucha IV) are included in Argentina's long-term nuclear plan.

In the Formosa province, there is an agreement between the National Atomic Energy Commission and the provincial government to promote the CAREM nuclear reactor, which will provide the region with more than 150 MW of energy. A CAREM prototype low-power reactor (25 MW) is being built in the Buenos Aires province. This is a third-generation reactor and brings greater security benefits to prevent nuclear disasters.

The life extension project of the Embalse Rio Tercero nuclear power plant remains on schedule. This plant has been operational since 1984, and the project would extend its useful life for another 25 years. The project will require an investment of about $1 billion and would be completed in a year and a half. The facility has a capacity of 648 MW and uses CANDU technology. The project is expected to kick off in January 2012.

The fear of radioactive emissions is perhaps one of the main concerns nuclear plants. Engineers and scientists in the field argue that pollution levels are much higher at fossil fuel plants.

The new nuclear plants should be built with redundant safety mechanisms and multiple containment barriers to minimize the risk of catastrophic accidents. Argentina continues to work in research and development in the field of nuclear energy to ensure that its nuclear facilities are safe.

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