Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Nuclear Country Notes

Argentina

There are two NPPs: Atucha-I, a 335 MWe PHWR supplied by Germany, and Embalse, a Canadian-designed 600 MWe PHWR; Atucha-I came online in 1974, Embalse in 1983. In 2005 the two nuclear stations provided 6.9% of Argentina's electricity output.

The construction of a third unit (Atucha-II), a 692 MWe PHWR, has been interrupted since 1995. The project had advanced 80%, and the estimated time to complete the work from the date it is restarted is 52 months. In August 2006 the Government announced a plan to extend the lives of the existing nuclear plants and to complete Atucha-II by 2010, with assistance from Canada. The Government also envisages the subsequent construction of a fourth reactor, to enter operation around 2015. Three months later Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) was engaged by Nucleoelectrica Argentina SA to refurbish Embalse, to carry out a feasibility study for a 700 MWe Candu 6 reactor to be built between 2010 and 2015, and to assist in the completion of Atucha-II.