Roundup: Cooperation with China helps ensure Argentina's energy security

Nuclear energy cooperation with China plays a key role in guaranteeing Argentina's energy security and independence, Argentina's state-run nuclear energy company said Friday.

In an interview with Xinhua, a spokesperson for the national Nucleoelectrica Argentina (NA-SA) company expounded the country's nuclear program and relevant Chinese aid.

During Argentine President Cristina Kirchner's visit to China in February 2015, the two countries signed an agreement on jointly building two nuclear plants in Argentina.

Under the agreement, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) will partner with the NA-SA to build the two nuclear reactors, bringing Argentina's total number of reactors to five.

According to the NA-SA spokesperson, the CNNC will contribute technology, equipment and services, and offer Argentina 70 percent of the funds and services needed for the project.

The NA-SA also said the fuel for the reactors and the heavy water to be used in them will be fully manufactured in Argentina.

"Seventy percent of the components of the projects will be made in Argentina and the other 30 percent will be imported," while 85 percent of all needed funds will be provided by China after "financial accords are hopefully finalized by the end of 2015," it stated.

Construction could partly begin soon as some funds are already available, and the majority of the work will move forward once the funding from China is obtained.

The first new power station, with a capacity of approximately 800 MW, will be built at the Atucha nuclear complex in the city of Lima, 110 km northeast of the capital.

The total cost of the project is estimated to include around 2 billion U.S. dollars in foreign investment and 3.46 billion dollars as local costs over a period of eight years.

Meanwhile, the second new nuclear power station, also Argentina's fifth,will use light water and enriched uranium and have an estimated total capacity of 1,000 MW.

Argentina currently has three operational nuke power plants with a combined capacity of 1,755 MW, which use technology from Germany and Canada. The two new plants, with a total output of 1,800 MW, will therefore double the country's nuclear power capacity.

This will be the first time for China to export nuclear technology to Latin America and the Chinese company is optimistic about the prospects of its technology exports, thanks to its higher safety level and lower costs, the CNNC said on its website.

Allowing Chinese companies to participate in the building of new nuclear power plants means that China's nuclear technology can be competitive against its Western peers, said Ma Yi, an expert with China Nuclear Power Engineering Company.

For the NA-SA, these plants will strengthen Argentina's energy security and independence.

"In the last 60 years, Argentina has accumulated a wealth of experience in the nuclear industry, not only in energy generation, but also in other areas like research as well. This includes the construction and operation of three nuclear plants, various research-style reactors, and now these two new reactors will be built with the help of China," the NA-SA spokesperson said.

The cooperation project will also help the country develop new expertise and acquire new technologies for the further development of its nuclear industry.

"Undoubtedly, these nuclear projects we are developing with China will play a fundamental role in securing our energy independence," the NA-SA spokesperson added. Endi