On March 22, the head of the National Atomic Energy Commission, Adriana Cerkis, (so far) (she has submitted her resignation twice and it has not yet been accepted) sent an official memorandum to the country’s energy minister, Eduardo Rodríguez Cirillo, in which he indicated the impending cut in services, as of From March 25, at the Atomic Centers, the work of the Central Argentine de Elementes Modulares (CAREM) reactors, the RA-10 multi-purpose reactor and the nuclear medical plan was halted due to the lack of payments and the critical situation of the institution’s budget.
This has impacted the payment chain for suppliers, subcontractors and operators involved. The Secretary General of UOCRA Sectoral Zárate, Julio González, also confirmed that there had been layoffs of 100 workers who participated in the work.
This also affects the private sector, since supplier companies are seeing a decline in their business activity. This is especially evident in industries such as metalworking.
Maradona, the Pope, Dulce de Leche, the pen and the cream
CAREM is the first nuclear power reactor designed and built entirely in Argentina, according to CNEA itself.
Argentina stands out as one of the world leaders in the sector of low and medium power modular reactors (Small Modular Reactor, SMR, for its abbreviation in English).
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You may wonder what the difference is between CAREM-type SMR reactors and conventional nuclear power plants like the one in Springfield. Well, I’ll sum it up below in 5 points, but I’ll tell you it’s about size, power generation capacity, flexibility, modularity, security and its potential applications. That is, the SMR will be the same as the release pocket And the forefront of nuclear reactors.
The prototype is in an advanced stage of construction (now partially halted) in Lima, Buenos Aires Province. Civil works began in February 2014, at which time CAREM became one of the first SMEs in the world to be officially built.
When we say “nuclear power reactor,” we mean that it is not a research reactor, but rather its primary function is to generate electrical energy.
70% of construction is from national industry. Argentine companies that manufacture inputs, components and related services have what is called “nuclear qualification,” a special certification for the production of reactor parts with precision and quality determined by demanding international standards, and supervised by the CNEA.
Small and medium reactors are a new type of reactor all over the world. There are many projects, but few of them are in the licensing and construction stage like ours. This is what the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recorded in a report published in March this year, in which it previously reviewed 21 projects of this type worldwide.
I leave you below the table that makes me very proud, where 21 SMRs in the world are mentioned. You don’t need to understand the technical content of the columns, I’m just interested in knowing the eight countries that are leading the way with this cutting-edge technology: Canada, China, France, the United States, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Argentina.
In fact, the report highlights that CAREM is one of the most advanced initiatives in the world. As you can see in the green graphs on the left, we do very well on almost all the dimensions identified by the NEC, even comparing ourselves to the rest of the country. These are 6 criteria or criteria for evaluating progress on projects beyond technical feasibility: permits, location/location, financing, supply chain, participation, and fuel.
This first version of CAREM will be able to generate 32 megawatts of electricity. To give you an idea, the Empulse nuclear power plant in Cordoba generates 656 megawatts. With 32 megawatts, for example, you can provide energy to about 120,000 people. It may seem relatively small, but let’s not forget that it is a prototype intended to be a first step to designing a higher power reactor later.
In parallel with the development of the prototype, CNEA is progressing with the design of what will be the commercial CAREM unit, which will have a larger capacity (between 100 and 120 MW) and will be the basis for a multi-reactor plant. Which will allow access to very competitive costs for the international market.
Environment and nuclear energy, two separate issues?
Thinking about sustainable development and environmental models of our time, I tell you that in 2022, the European Union Parliament considered nuclear energy as a source of green energy needed for the transition.
Not only that, last year at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), nuclear energy was mentioned for the first time as one of the low-carbon energies to combat climate change. Also at the same COP, a declaration of intent was signed by more than 22 countries to triple nuclear capacity by 2050.
I know that it is a topic that continues to raise controversy and debate, not only within the environmental movement but in various sectors of society.
In recent years, several environmental organizations have come out in favor of nuclear energy, such as Fridays for Future (founded by Greta Thunberg) in Finland.
Supporting nuclear energy does not mean that it is an ideal alternative and that its environmental impact is zero. But if we understand that the global goal is not to continue to increase the average temperature of the planet through the emission and accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, then we cannot do away with low-emission energy such as nuclear power, which, although it is not renewable energy. Rather, it is considered clean energy.
If we want to achieve decarbonisation of the global energy matrix, it is not enough with renewables alone due to their intermittency (they depend on natural factors such as wind energy variability and solar radiation, which can affect the ability to provide continuous generation). . All possible low-carbon solutions will be needed to achieve global neutrality goals by 2050.
Small modular reactors (SMR) represent a promising solution to decarbonize hard-to-treat sectors. At the same time, it incorporates advanced safety technologies to reduce the risks associated with nuclear power, recognizing that it is one of the biggest fears and prejudices that exist about the sector.
Before we start talking about the advantages of our pioneering project CAREM and reactors of its kind, I want to share with you this tremendous news sent by Elie Muhly in 2022 about everything you need to know about nuclear energy: emissions, waste, safety, costs and more.
What is the purpose of the CAREM reactor?
- It is modular: systems and components can be assembled in factories and transported for installation. For this reason they have great expectations to supply electricity to remote areas or areas far from large urban centers or industrial and manufacturing centers with high energy consumption. In this way, decentralization of generation is proposed, which reduces the cost of energy.
- It is “small” compared to conventional power plants. This makes it safer. In this video, Nuclear Engineer Giulietta Romero visits and explains CAREM’s work better.
- It has the capacity to operate seawater desalination plants, either for subsequent human consumption or for irrigation (installations that typically require high and constant electrical consumption).
- They can powerfully fuel hydrogen production without generating emissions (pink hydrogen).
- The infrastructure of fossil fuel power plants, such as coal, can be used to install an SMR reactor and reuse the property for clean energy.
Contradictions in government
Abroad, the government proudly promotes the CAREM reactor, while in Argentina it has been partially halted due to budget shortfalls.
On March 21, during the World Nuclear Energy Summit organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency – led by Argentine Rafael Grossi – in Brussels, Belgium, a national official from the government of Javier Miley spoke before the international community and proposed “strengthening the Argentine nuclear industry”, taking the CAREM project as a case. Four days later, work stopped due to the lack of transfers from the nation to the CNEA.The speaker was the Secretary of National Strategy, former Brigadier General Jorge Antelo.
At this summit, political contacts are made with other countries to advance strategic projects, and agreements are determined to purchase technology of this type. Today’s nuclear world is looking closely at these projects due to their low cost and production impact.
Argentina has the technology and qualified personnel to develop it and is a major area for earning foreign exchange through the export of high technology.
Adriana Sirkis, president of the CNEA, warned of the government’s plan: “There is no understood nuclear plan and we do not know where they are going.”
Former officialsLawmakers, scientists and industry professionals demonstrated against the CAREM construction brake.
More brakes on the nuclear sector
Work on RA-10, a facility that will have a strategic impact in the areas of health, science, technology and industry, has also been halted due to budget shortages.
The civil works of the RA-10 complex are 100% complete (total 85%). It was expected that under current contracts with INVAP and all subcontractors, the project could be completed by 2025 and become operational.
We have already sold this reactor to the Netherlands in 2018, and today an improved version is being completed that could position the country as an important player in the market for these products, and put it in an advanced position in the field of research.
Unique opportunity
This blow is particularly strong in the scientific field, but more than anything else in the technological field, a field that promises to provide the country with foreign exchange from the export of high technology.
The nuclear sector places us on a global level where very few countries exist, and we have highly qualified people and industry, scientific and technological capabilities and accumulated knowledge to build, benefit from and export this sector.
There should be no Qatari project without its science and technology. Not to mention that in a world where the energy transition has already begun, it is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity and will require huge investments in scientific and technological research and development.
