ATUCHA III
On February 1st, 2022, a contract was signed with the China National Corporation (CNNC) for the construction of Atucha III. It is a new nuclear plant with a 1,200 MW reactor and an initial useful life of 60 years to be installed in the existing Atucha Nuclear Complex, in the town of Lima, province of Buenos Aires.
The project involves an investment of USD 8,300 million and will allow the increase of electric generation from nuclear sources by more than 60 %.
The EPC contract (engineering, purchase and construction) calls for the provision of engineering, construction, acquisition, commissioning and delivery of an HPR-1,000 type plant which will use enriched uranium as fuel and light water as coolant and moderator.
The construction works will demand the creation of more than 7,000 jobs during the time of peak construction, 700 permanent jobs for its operation and approximately a 40 % integration with the national suppliers.
NATIONAL PROJECT
The development of this nuclear power plant will allow the country to consolidate its knowledge and experience in CANDU technology as well as its technological capital built during the completion of Atucha II and the life extension of the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant. It will also strengthen the supply chain. Furthermore, the realization of this project will allow, in the future, the construction of other modules at a lower cost and even the export of this technology.
In this way, the development of autonomous and sovereign technology will be used for the construction of a new 700 MW natural uranium and heavy water plant. It will make it possible to achieve objectives of great strategic value such as the use of industrial capacity and national employment within the compatibility with the project schedule.
The first activities include the beginning of engineering tasks and the purchase of components from national suppliers. The national industry ensures in this way its continuity and strengthening of its developed capacities, the maintenance of highly specialized labour and the prospect of generating new areas of participation
LIFE EXTENSION OF ATUCHA I
The operating license for Atucha I issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority expires in 2024, marking the end of its first useful life cycle.
In 2006 the necessary studies to evaluate the life extension project started and it was concluded that Atucha I could generate clean and safe energy for two more decades.
The reconditioning shutdown will last two years and will take place between 2024 and 2026. It will involve an investment of USD 450 million, the creation of 2,000 both direct and indirect jobs and the generation of opportunities for qualified national suppliers for the construction and components manufacturing tasks.
The construction of Atucha I Nuclear Power Plant that started in June 1968 and became the first nuclear power plant in Latin America was connected to the National Electric System in March 1974. Although it is the first Argentine Nuclear plant, all its safety systems were updated and comply with the local and international requirements.
DRY STORAGE OF SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS AT ATUCHA I NUCLEAR POWER PLANT (ASECGI)
The continuous and extended-term operation of Atucha I requires the increase of the storage capacity of spent fuel assemblies. A repository is being built next to the plant building for this purpose, which represents an investment of $2,400 million.
In February 2020, the work was once again under NASA’s responsibility to complete the construction of the storage building, the electromechanical installations and its subsequent commissioning.
This activity involves the creation of quality jobs for 200 people for the duration of the project and a high participation of local suppliers like CONUAR, Secin, Rafa and Tecniark.
Currently, the civil work stage has been completed and the building is attached to the radiologically controlled area, providing the completion of the project for the first half of 2022.
