The Problem With The Nuclear Reactor Sold By China To Argentina

Written by Bruno Teles

Published on 04/07/2024 at 18:26

Imagem: Walking Archive/Divulgação

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Argentina and China Are at an Impasse Over the Construction of an $8 Billion Nuclear Power Plant. Understand the Details and Implications of This Chinese Nuclear Reactor.

Argentina has signed a contract with China to invest $8 billion in the construction of a nuclear power plant, with a Chinese loan covering 85% of the amount. However, the Chinese nuclear reactor, which would be installed at the Atucha 3 plant, is causing significant disagreement between the two countries, especially regarding technology transfer.

The Atucha 3 plant is planned to have a third-generation nuclear reactor with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts and an initial lifespan of 60 years. For comparison, Angra 2 in Brazil has 1,350 megawatts and can supply a city of 2 million inhabitants. But, despite the power, Argentina wants more than just a functioning reactor.

Argentina and China Disagree Over Nuclear Reactor

Crucial points of the contract include the transfer of 50 to 70% of the component manufacturing technology, the use of 100% local civil labor, and the transfer of fuel production technology. Argentina already dominates the process for heavy water reactors and small light water reactors, but the technology for a large third-generation reactor is new territory they want to master.

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The Battle for Technology

O-problema-com-o-reator-nuclear-da-China-vendido-para-a-Argentina

The main disagreement lies in the technology transfer for fuel production. Argentina wants to be self-sufficient and not rely on China for the supply of enriched uranium throughout the lifespan of the plant. In Brazil, for example, we have mastered all stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, from mining to fuel fabrication.

China handles uranium mining, which is then enriched in centrifuges to increase the concentration of uranium-235. This enriched uranium is then converted into pellets, which are used as nuclear fuel. Argentina wants to have the capacity to carry out this entire process to avoid dependency on China.

Strategy and Geopolitics

The president of Argentina’s National Atomic Energy Commission, Adriana Serquis, highlighted the strategic importance of this technology, especially noting Europe’s dependency on Russian nuclear fuel. If Argentina achieves this technology transfer, it will be the first country to produce fuel for this type of Chinese reactor, representing a significant advancement.

However, this technology transfer also has geopolitical implications. China would increase its influence in South America, while the United States, concerned about this expansion, has already warned that the Chinese reactor does not meet all international safety standards, although it has been certified by a European agency and is already operational in Pakistan.

The construction of the Chinese nuclear reactor in Argentina is more than just a simple business transaction. It involves geopolitical strategies, technology transfer, and the fight for energy self-sufficiency. This project could change the future of energy in Argentina, but there are still many challenges to overcome. So, what is your opinion on this technological dispute?

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Luis

#19363

06/07/2024 16:14

Baita mentira que dominamos todo o ciclo do combustível. Se fosse assim não enviariamos pra França pra ela enriquecer o urânio. Podemos até entender e fazer em baixa escala mas dominar?

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Francis alves

#19333

06/07/2024 13:52

Faz total sentido em querer dominar e saber como se faz, ter somente o conhecimento teórico não é suficiente, exemplo do Brasil que domina a tecnologia mas continua comprando combustível nuclear

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Paulo

#19326

06/07/2024 13:32

Tudo de bom, qubrar hegemonia, do ocidente sobre o mundo

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The Problem With The Nuclear Reactor Sold By China To Argentina

Argentina and China Are at an Impasse Over the Construction of an $8 Billion Nuclear Power Plant. Understand the Details and Implications of This Chinese Nuclear Reactor.

Argentina and China Disagree Over Nuclear Reactor

The Battle for Technology

Strategy and Geopolitics

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The Problem With The Nuclear Reactor Sold By China To Argentina

Argentina and China Are at an Impasse Over the Construction of an $8 Billion Nuclear Power Plant. Understand the Details and Implications of This Chinese Nuclear Reactor.

Argentina and China Disagree Over Nuclear Reactor

The Battle for Technology

Strategy and Geopolitics

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Elon Musk’s internet comes to mobile: Starlink technology connects smartphones without an antenna via satellite, works even without carrier signal, already costs just US$10 extra in the US, and could arrive in Brazil as an included benefit.

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

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A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

BRAM Offshore is hiring for officer, technician, analyst, and manager positions in RJ and Aracaju, offering benefits, CLT employment, a hybrid work model, and the opportunity to work for a company with over 70 specialized vessels in the Brazilian offshore oil and gas maritime sector.

Swiss-led researchers warn that tourism on melting glaciers may be destroying exactly the landscapes that visitors want to see before they disappear, and that geotextile covers and helicopter flights only exacerbate the problem instead of solving it.