Wedoany.com Report-Jun 9, Argentina’s National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) marked its 75th anniversary by announcing plans to deploy four ACR-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Atucha site and resume uranium mining and enrichment. The event, held at the RA-10 multipurpose reactor site, highlighted priorities to advance the country’s nuclear energy sector.

Demian Reidel, President of the Argentine Nuclear Council, addressed the gathering, stating: “With the development of the ACR-300, we will offer the world a clean, stable, and scalable source of energy. The ACR-300, a 300 MW technological marvel designed by Argentine engineers, is a centrepiece of the Nuclear Power Plan, which will position our country at the forefront of the new energy revolution.” He outlined plans to nearly double Argentina’s nuclear capacity with the four reactors and license the technology globally, boosting both energy and export sectors.

Germán Guido Lavalle, CNEA President, detailed five key goals for 2026: achieving criticality at the RA-10 reactor, refurbishing the Heavy Water Industrial Plant, restarting uranium mining, launching the Argentine Proton Therapy Center, and resuming uranium enrichment. He noted: “We have a National Atomic Energy Commission that, through technological development and human resource training, has provided the platform for the emergence of nuclear sector companies that today compete globally, export, create jobs, and offer services in Argentina.”

Reidel, a key advisor to President Javier Milei, told La Nacion that Argentina aims to be a global leader in commercial SMR sales, with the ACR-300, developed by INVAP with private funding, targeted for operation within five years. He emphasized leveraging Argentina’s uranium reserves, suggesting in a March Infobae interview: “It was crazy for the country to be importing uranium for its existing reactors despite having substantial reserves.”

The ceremony, broadcast across CNEA centers, celebrated the commission’s 1950 founding and its mission to lead in safe nuclear energy use. Argentina’s three operating nuclear units—Atucha 1 (1974), Atucha 2 (2014), and Embalse (1983)—generate about 5% of the nation’s electricity. Plans for a fourth unit, Atucha III, have been replaced by the SMR initiative.

The ACR-300 project builds on Argentina’s SMR experience with the CAREM reactor, a 32 MWe prototype started in 2014 but facing delays and funding challenges. Currently two-thirds complete, CAREM underwent a Critical Design Review in May 2024. The ACR-300 initiative aims to position Argentina as a global supplier of advanced nuclear technology, supporting clean energy and economic growth through domestic resources and innovation.