Argentina announces opening of 3rd nuclear power plant, Atucha II (Federico Bernal)

News announcement from Argentina On February 18, 2015, Argentina will have its third nuclear power plant fully and commercially operative. At last, after being stopped in construction during the '80s and '90s because of neoliberal bad policies of austerity and fiscal bankruptcy, the Atucha II Nuclear Plant will be delivering energy to the national grid. Its construction was launched again in 2011.

In regards to Argentina's nuclear policy and its latest good news, we would like to also announce that the week before our President visited China and accomplished very important agreements (around 15) in energy, mining, food, information technology, space technology and other strategic issues between the two countries.

In the energy sector, China will collaborate with the construction, financing and technology transfer on two new nuclear power plants for Argentina (investment for our 4th and 5th nuclear plants amounts to US$5.8 billion and US$7 billion respectively). Both plants will be finished by the end of 2022/24. The 4th plant will be a CANDU type but the 5th plant will have a ACP1000 (light water reactor and enriched uranium reactor).

China will transfer the technology to Argentina. Both initiatives will involve a high participation of Argentina's national nuclear industry of 70% in the CANDU plant and 50% in the ACP1000 plant, thus encouraging the local industry chains and construction sector.