Argentina to expand nuclear program By BILL CORMIER, Associated Press Writer Wed Aug 23, 10:39 PM ET
Argentina announced an ambitious plan Wednesday to expand its nuclear program to meet rising energy demands, including extending the life of existing plants and possibly resuming uranium mining. At a Government House news conference, Planning Minister Julio de Vido said the plan calls for increasing the life span of the aging Atucha I and Embalse nuclear power plants and completing construction by 2010 on the long-stalled Atucha II plant. Two decades of delays have hampered completion of the Atucha II project, located some 75 miles northwest of the capital of Buenos Aires. The nearby Atucha I facility has been operating since the mid-1970s, in conjunction with the Embalse plant in central Argentina. The planning minister was flanked by President Nestor Kirchner, who did not comment on the plan nor on a report by the leading newspaper Clarin saying the nuclear program could cost the government $3.5 billion over eight years. "When this government took office in 2003, the nuclear energy sector was reactivating," De Vido said. "Today we come to establish a strategic plan for the Argentine nuclear energy sector for the coming years." The program calls for large-scale power generation to meet fast-growing energy demands, amid careful regulation by national authorities. Among other steps, De Vido announced plans for "concrete steps" toward resumption of uranium mining. De Vido did not comment on a Clarin report that Argentina might revive a uranium enrichment program shut down in 1983 due to budget constraints. Enrichment provides the fuel needed to operate such nuclear plants, but can also be a central to building nuclear weapons. Argentina, one of the leading Latin American nations in nuclear power generation, has had to stave off potential energy shortfalls in recent years. The move comes as Argentina and Brazil are seeking new energy sources to counter crude oil prices that have passed $70 a barrel, along with soaring prices in natural gas and other fuels. Last May, Brazil inaugurated a uranium enrichment center capable of producing nuclear fuel. The center is expected to save South America's largest economy millions of dollars that the country now spends to enrich fuel at Urenco, the European enrichment consortium. Both nations have stressed the strictly peaceful nature of their nuclear programs, given a backdrop of international pressure against Iran to halt expansion of its nuclear program. Washington has cautioned Iran that it will seek sanctions in the U.N. Security Council if Tehran does not step enriching uranium. Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Reading only, http://dear.to/ppi 4. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
