Argentina’s nuclear power operator Nucleoeléctrica Argentina S.A. said Tuesday that it had signed contracts with the China National Nuclear Corporation for the engineering, procurement and construction of Atucha III, which would be the country’s fourth nuclear plant.
“After a fruitful period of negotiation, on February 1st both companies have reached a mutual understanding” Nucleoelectrica Argentina for the construction of a Chinese-designed HPR1000 reactor with a rated gross electric power of 1200 MWe.
In deference to the global pandemic, the negotiations were held by virtual means with the presence of "the highest authorities of both companies and the diplomatic representative .. of both countries.”
The event represented the end of a cycle of cooperation and mutual understanding between China and Argentina that started on June 2010 with agreements allowing the strengthening of ties for the peaceful development of nuclear energy generation, nuclear science and technology and industrial development.
The next steps in the process of plant creation involve obtaining the relevant authorizations from each country together with the financial and technology transfer agreements.
Both companies agreed to highlight that “Atucha III” NPP Project is part of the Comprehensive Strategic Association and the Framework Agreement for Economic and Investment Cooperation -both executed in July 2014- and the Agreement between the Government of the Argentine Republic and the Government of the People's Republic of China on Cooperation in the Construction Project of a Pressurized Water Reactor in Argentina -signed in February 2015. In addition, in reflects a 50-year record of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Nucleoelectrica Argentina operates Atucha I, Atucha II and the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant. The total production of crude electric power generated by the company is 1750 MW.