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While the global nuclear sector is dominated by Westinghouse, Rosatom, KEPCO, and EDF, the Argentine state-owned company Nucleoeléctrica Argentina (NASA) approved a change in its statute on May 13, 2026, transforming it from a simple operator of 3 plants into a seller of technical services in the international nuclear market, as reported by El Cronista.
This move aligns with the Milei government’s plan to partially open the company’s capital and give nuclear energy a central role in the energy and export strategy.
NASA now offers engineering, maintenance, plant shutdowns, and international technical assistance.
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In practice, the old statute limited the company to generating electricity at the Atucha I, Atucha II, and Embalse plants. Now, with the new business unit, the company can provide services to third parties during periods of lower activity at local plants.
What exactly changes with the new 2026 statute
The central point of the change is the broader corporate purpose. NASA now defines itself as a company that generates electricity and also sells technical capabilities accumulated over more than 5 decades.
According to coverage by EconoJournal, the shareholders’ meeting explicitly approved a new unit for the commercialization of services and supplies for nuclear plants.
This front includes 5 categories: operation, maintenance, scheduled shutdowns, specialized engineering, and international assistance.
The commercial logic is straightforward. NASA operates 3 plants with periodic technical shutdowns. During periods of lower local activity, the same engineers can participate in contracts abroad, according to El Cronista.
In parallel, the government presents the move as “valuing” Argentine nuclear know-how. Brazil has the Angra program with Eletronuclear but operates with different technology: American and German PWR in Angra 1 and 2.
The numbers of the Argentine nuclear park in 2026
NASA operates the country’s only 3 nuclear power plants. The total operation adds up to 1,736 megawatts of installed capacity.
Atucha I began operation in 1974 with 335 MW net. It was the first nuclear plant in Latin America and has maintained continuous operation for 52 years, with a life extension approved by the Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear (ARN).
Atucha II began commercial operation in 2014 with 745 MW. It is the largest of the 3, located on the banks of the Paraná River, in the municipality of Lima, in the province of Buenos Aires.
Construction took about 31 years from the initial project in 1980 to full operation.
Embalse, in Córdoba, entered service in 1984 with 656 MW. It was modernized in 2015-2019 with a life extension for another 30 years. The extended operation is a regional reference in nuclear retrofit.
Technical reveal: CANDU technology without enrichment
In the background, Argentina operates with technology distinct from other Latin American countries. The Embalse plant uses Canadian CANDU technology, an acronym for Canadian Deuterium Uranium.
The CANDU system is a pressurized heavy water reactor of the PHWR type. It operates with natural uranium without the need for enrichment, unlike the American PWR reactors that dominate Brazil and the USA.
The geopolitical advantage is clear. Operating with natural uranium reduces dependence on the international enrichment chain, controlled by 5 countries: USA, Russia, France, China, and the Netherlands. Argentina maintains technical autonomy.
On the other hand, Atucha I and II are pressurized heavy water reactors of original German design, with particularities developed in partnership between the Argentine nuclear industry and European suppliers.
This rare combination explains Argentina’s technical robustness over 5 decades.
The CAREM, the Argentine modular reactor of 25 MW
The CAREM project is one of the most emblematic of recent Argentine nuclear developments. It is a small modular reactor (SMR) with 25 MW electric in the demonstration version.
According to data from the National Atomic Energy Commission, the CAREM began to be designed in 1984. The CAREM-25 prototype has been under construction in Lima since 2014, with an expected start of operation in 2027.
The planned commercial version is the CAREM-300, with 300 MW of power. The design follows the global concept of SMRs, which gained traction after 2020 with projects like the NuScale from the USA and the BWRX-300 from GE Hitachi.
In parallel, the global SMR market is expected to move around $150 billion by 2040 according to the IAEA. Argentina aims for a relevant position in this niche with the CAREM, relying on the accumulated technical base.
Human reveal: the nuclear plan of Milei and Caputo
The human face of the strategic shift is President Javier Milei and his Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo. In interviews in 2025 and 2026, Milei positioned nuclear energy as a pillar of the Argentine energy reset, alongside Vaca Muerta in oil and gas.
According to an analysis by Infobae, the official plan in 2026 includes 4 moves. First, partially open NASA’s capital to private investors.
Second, sell services abroad. Third, accelerate the CAREM. Fourth, position Argentina as an exporter of nuclear technology in Latin America.
In parallel, the president of NASA is José Luis Antúnez, a nuclear engineer with 28 years of career in the company. Antúnez technically leads the change and responds to the coordination of the Ministry of Economy.
On the other hand, company unions expressed concern. The Asociación de Trabajadores del Estado fears that the opening of capital could lead to the dismissal of up to 1,200 of the current 2,800 employees. Collective negotiation continues.
How Argentina compares to nuclear giants
The global nuclear market gathers 4 dominant players in 2026. The American Westinghouse leads with 60 PWR reactors in operation worldwide.
The Russian Rosatom controls 35 reactors and exports VVER technology to Egypt, Bangladesh, and Turkey.
The South Korean KEPCO built 4 APR-1400 reactors in the United Arab Emirates in 12 years. The French EDF operates 56 domestic reactors and exports the EPR to the United Kingdom and China.
The Chinese CNNC operates 25 reactors and aims to export to emerging markets.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the world operates 415 commercial reactors in 2025. Argentina occupies a rare technical niche: it has 5 decades of operation, controls the natural uranium chain, and develops its own SMR.
Future reveal: the export schedule until 2030
The next step planned by NASA is to sign the first international technical service contracts still in 2026. The initial focus is on Latin American countries without nuclear expertise: Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay are studying initial programs.
In parallel, the schedule includes 3 critical milestones by 2030. The first is the start of operation of the CAREM-25 in 2027. The second is the beginning of construction of the CAREM-300 in 2028.
The third is the first export of technology to a foreign client by 2030.
According to the Argentine Energy Secretariat, the goal is to increase the nuclear share in the Argentine electricity matrix from 7.5% to 15% by 2035. It is worth remembering the coverage of comparable sectoral transformations in other countries.
- Statutory change: May 13, 2026
- Company: Nucleoeléctrica Argentina S.A. (NASA)
- Operated plants: 3 (Atucha I, Atucha II, Embalse)
- Total installed capacity: 1,736 MW
- Technology: CANDU PHWR (natural uranium, heavy water)
- Argentine SMR: CAREM-25 (25 MW), commercial CAREM-300
- Employees: 2,800 active
- Nuclear target in the matrix: 15% by 2035 (current 7.5%)
The points that still depend on political negotiation
Despite the statutory decision, 3 fronts still depend on political advancement. The partial opening of NASA’s capital requires approval from the Argentine Congress, without an automatic majority for the government in 2026.
On the other hand, international contracts require certification from the IAEA and the Argentine ARN. Finally, unions and the Asociación de Trabajadores del Estado are negotiating job guarantees for the current 2,800 employees.
The outcome will define the pace of NASA’s international commercial phase.
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