Argentina moves forward with small modular reactor to secure energy sovereignty

Argentina's authorities are planning to construct a small modular reactor and boost the development of local uranium deposits as part of a plan to advance nuclear energy.

The head of the country's presidential advisory council, Demian Reidel announced the decision, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"The first step in this plan will be the construction of a small modular reactor at the [Atucha] nuclear power plant. <...> This milestone will not only guarantee our energy sovereignty but also allow us to scale the success across the country and export this technology," he said during a presentation on the development of nuclear energy.

According to Reidel, Argentina is ready to "lead the energy revolution and do it with technologies that are 100% Argentine." "In the second phase, we will develop our vast uranium deposits. This will not only meet domestic demand but also make Argentina an exporter of high-value-added fuel elements," he added.

The Argentine government envisions that the development of nuclear energy will help turn the country into a global "artificial intelligence hub." "The potential for AI development is so vast that traditional energy sources will not be enough to meet this new demand. That’s why we are convinced that nuclear energy will experience a revival worldwide, because despite smear campaigns led by some international organizations, nuclear energy is the only sufficiently efficient source that can be quickly scaled to keep pace with the development of our civilization," said President Javier Milei during the presentation.

The event was also attended by Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who expressed support for the government's nuclear energy development plan.

By Tamilla Hasanova