Nuclear Technology Cooperation

The U.S. and Argentina have signed several agreements providing for cooperation between the two countries in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) work closely with the Argentine National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) and the Argentine Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN). The parastatal technology firm INVAP is the primary contractor to CNEA and has built nuclear reactors for Egypt, Algeria, and Peru.  In 2000 INVAP won a contract for construction of an Australian research reactor, and, with CNEA, is working on the development of advanced reactor technologies.
 
Argentina has signed numerous bilateral agreements with the U.S., establishing a strong base for research.  Please see EST-Related Agreements for a list of US and Argentine nuclear agreements:
 
Argentina also has many nuclear cooperation agreements outside the U.S., including agreements with the European Atomic Agency (EURATOM), Algeria, Armenia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Italy, Morocco, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Russia, the U.K., Uruguay, and Venezuela.
 
Argentina has also signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1995), the Nuclear Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (1997), the Missile Technology Control Regime (1991), and the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Arms in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco, 1994). In addition, Argentina is a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Atucha y Embalse
 
NUCLEOELECTRICA ARGENTINA S.A. (NASA) was established on September 7, 1994 with an eye on becoming a key player in the Argentine power generation industry. To achieve such a goal, the company owns and operates two Nuclear Power Plants, Atucha I and Embalse, since 1974 and 1984 respectively. A third one currently under construction, Atucha II will double the power output currently produced by Atucha I and Embalse.