The National Atomic Energy Commission ( es, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, CNEA) is the
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
agency in charge of
nuclear energy
Nuclear energy may refer to:
*Nuclear power, the use of sustained nuclear fission or nuclear fusion to generate heat and electricity
* Nuclear binding energy, the energy needed to fuse or split a nucleus of an atom
*Nuclear potential energy
...
research and development.
The agency was created on May 31, 1950, with the mission of developing and controlling nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in the country.
CNEA's facilities include the Bariloche Atomic Centre (in
San Carlos de Bariloche
San Carlos de Bariloche, usually known as Bariloche (), is a city in the province of Río Negro, Argentina, situated in the foothills of the Andes on the southern shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake. It is located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park. ...
), Constituyentes Atomic Centre (in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
), and Ezeiza Atomic Centre (in
Ezeiza,
Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
). CNEA operates research
reactors at each of these sites.
History
Officially established by President
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine Army general and politician. After serving in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President of a military dictatorship, he was elected P ...
's Decree No 10.936, CNEA filled the need for a state organ to oversee the funding of the
Huemul Project
The Huemul Project ( es, Proyecto Huemul) was an early 1950s Argentine effort to develop a fusion power device known as the Thermotron. The concept was invented by Austrian scientist Ronald Richter, who claimed to have a design that would produce ...
in Bariloche. Before CNEA came into being, the project was funded by the Dirección de Migraciones. In practice CNEA had only four members (
Juan Domingo Perón
''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
, González, Mendé and
Ronald Richter
Ronald Richter (1909–1991) was an Austrian-born German, later Argentine citizen, scientist who became infamous in connection with the Argentine Huemul Project and the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA). The project was intended to generat ...
). In 1951, decree 9697 created another agency, the Dirección Nacional de la Energía Atómica (DNEA), also under González, to do research on atomic energy in Buenos Aires (González left CNEA in April 1952 and was replaced by Iraolagoitía) until 1955. After being assessed by two review panels in 1952, the Huemul Project was closed and Richter was no longer a CNEA member. Research in physics and technology continued in Bariloche, but no longer along Richter's original line.
Admiral Oscar Armando Quihillalt was the first director of the National Atomic Energy Commission, and was also an important participant in the
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...
.
[
In 1955, ]José Antonio Balseiro
José Antonio Balseiro (March 29, 1919 in Córdoba – March 26, 1962 in Bariloche) was an Argentine physicist.
Balseiro studied at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in his home city, before moving to La Plata to study and research, obta ...
, a research scientist and member of the first review panel on the Huemul Project, took over the recently created Instituto de Física de Bariloche, now Instituto Balseiro
Balseiro Institute ( es, Instituto Balseiro) is an academic institution that belongs partially to the National University of Cuyo and partially to Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission. It is located in Bariloche, Río Negro province, Ar ...
, which used Richter's facilities in the mainland, but abandoned the buildings in Huemul Island.
In 1956 Argentina's uranium resources were nationalized with the Commission controlling prospecting, production, and marketing. A yellowcake
Yellowcake (also called urania) is a type of uranium concentrate powder obtained from leach solutions, in an intermediate step in the processing of uranium ores. It is a step in the processing of uranium after it has been mined but before fue ...
(uranium oxide) production capability was created that could support future plans for reactors. However, in accord with three presidential decrees of 1960, 1962 and 1963, Argentina supplied its initial production of about 90 tons of unsafeguarded yellowcake to Israel to fuel its Dimona reactor, creating the fissile material
In nuclear engineering, fissile material is material capable of sustaining a nuclear fission chain reaction. By definition, fissile material can sustain a chain reaction with neutrons of thermal energy. The predominant neutron energy may be ty ...
for Israel's first nuclear weapons.
The facilities in Buenos Aires were expanded after the closure of the Huemul Project, and by the 1960s became larger in terms of size and expenditure than those in Bariloche. It was the Constituyentes research centre that the first Latin American research reactor
Research reactors are nuclear fission-based nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or maritim ...
was built (1957), the RA-1 Enrico Fermi
RA-1 Enrico Fermi is a research reactor in Argentina. It wasd the first nuclear reactor to be built in that country and the first research reactor in the south hemisphere.
Construction started April 1957, with first criticality 20 January 1958. It ...
.
The 335-MWe Atucha I designed by Germany's (Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
) was completed in 1974. In 1984 the 600-MWe Embalse designed by Canadian CANDU
The CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium) is a Canadian pressurized heavy-water reactor design used to generate electric power. The acronym refers to its deuterium oxide ( heavy water) moderator and its use of (originally, natural) uranium fuel. C ...
started its commercial operation.
In 1995 CNEA's functions where divided into newly created separate organizations such as the Nuclear Regulatory Authority ('' Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear - ARN''), which supervises nuclear safety
Nuclear safety is defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as "The achievement of proper operating conditions, prevention of accidents or mitigation of accident consequences, resulting in protection of workers, the public and the ...
in the country, and the ''Nucleoeléctrica Argentina - NASA'', the company that operates the two completed nuclear power reactors. Today, CNEA mainly focuses on research and development of nuclear and related technologies.
In 2001 the original 1956 Directory structure of a President and five members designated by the National Executive authority was reduced, eliminating four positions of the Directory by Decrees 1065–01 and 1066–01.
On 2010 CNEA reopened the Enriched uranium
Enriched uranium is a type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 (written 235U) has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Naturally occurring uranium is composed of three major isotopes: uranium-238 (238 ...
plant at Pilcaniyeu
Pilcaniyeu is a village and municipality in Río Negro Province in Argentina. It is located 65 km from the city of Bariloche.
On November 30, 2015, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner (; bor ...
inaugurated on 1983 but closed in the 1990sArgentina To Produce Enriched Uranium In 2011
/ref>
In 2014 692-MWe Atucha II, also a Siemens design, started operating besides Atucha I. Since then Argentina operates three pressurized heavy-water reactors (PHWR), that use heavy water as moderator and coolant and unenriched natural uranium as fuel, for the generation of electricity.
Also in 2014, CNEA begun construction of the world's first small modular reactor (SMR), the CAREM-25 a small (25 MWe) pressurized water reactor (PWR) that unlike all previous power reactors in the country has been totally designed and developed domestically. It will use low-enrichment uranium as fuel and light water as coolant and moderator, a first for the country that traditionally used PHWRs designs.
In December 2015 a new uranium enrichment
Enriched uranium is a type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 (written 235U) has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Naturally occurring uranium is composed of three major isotopes: uranium-238 (238U ...
plant to manufacture fuel for Argentina's nuclear plants, located in Pilcaniyeu
Pilcaniyeu is a village and municipality in Río Negro Province in Argentina. It is located 65 km from the city of Bariloche.
On November 30, 2015, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner (; bor ...
, was inaugurated. The plant will use both gaseous diffusion
Gaseous diffusion is a technology used to produce enriched uranium by forcing gaseous uranium hexafluoride (UF6) through semipermeable membranes. This produces a slight separation between the molecules containing uranium-235 (235U) and uranium-2 ...
and more modern laser techniques.
Research, development, production and educational activities
Although CNEA HQ is located in Buenos Aires city most of CNEA's activities are concentrated at three other sites
* Centro Atómico Constituyentes, San Martín, Buenos Aires province
Its premises contain the first nuclear reactor in Latin America RA-1 that went critical on 17 January 1958. Its researchers not only pioneered the construction of research reactors in Argentina, but also formed its leading groups in metallurgy, physics and chemistry. The Tandar accelerator is a large tandem Van de Graaff type facility dedicated to nuclear physics, condensed matter physics and medical research. It houses facilities for the development and building of research nuclear reactors fuels. Its academic unit, the Instituto Sábato, focused in Materials Science grants Licenciado, MSc and PhD degrees in association with the Universidad de San Martín.
* Centro Atómico Bariloche, Bariloche, Rio Negro province
Its academic unit the Instituto Balseiro
Balseiro Institute ( es, Instituto Balseiro) is an academic institution that belongs partially to the National University of Cuyo and partially to Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission. It is located in Bariloche, Río Negro province, Ar ...
, an association with the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo
The National University of Cuyo ( es, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, UNCuyo) is the largest center of higher education in the province of Mendoza, Argentina.
As of 2005, the university had 12 academic schools in the city of Mendoza and a delegat ...
trained hundred of physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...
s and nuclear engineers since its creation as Instituto de Física de Bariloche in 1955. Its researchers published hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific papers and provided important contributions to applied and basic science. Its RA-6 reactor was built to train Balseiro's nuclear engineering students as well to conduct basic and applied research.
* Centro Atómico Ezeiza, Ezeiza, Buenos Aires province
Its RA-3 research/production reactor produces all nuclear isotopes for medicine used in Argentina and supplies neighbouring countries as well. Other research facilities include . Its academic unit Instituto Beninson in association with the Universidad de San Martín is focused on the applications of nuclear technologies, has an engineering degree on the subject, has many post-graduate degrees as well as granting PhDs on connected areas.
There are other smaller sites around the country concerned with particular activities each
* CAREM construction site, Lima, Buenos Aires province
* Complejo Tecnológico Pilcaniyeu, 60 km from Bariloche, Rio Negro province
* Fundación Escuela de Medicina Nuclear, Mendoza city, Mendoza province
* Fundación Centro de Diagnóstico Nuclear, Buenos Aires city
* Instituto Roffo - Centro de Medicina Nuclear (IRMN), Buenos Aires city
* Hospital de Clínicas - Centro de Medicina Nuclear (HCMN), Buenos Aires city
* Complejo Fabril Arroyito Planta Industrial de Agua Pesada (PIAP), Arroyito, Neuquén province
* Complejo Minero Fabril San Rafael (CMSR), San Rafael, Mendoza province
* Regional Patagonia, Trelew, Chubut province
* Regional Noroeste, Salta city, Salta province
* Regional Cuyo, Mendoza city, Mendoza province
* Regional Centro, Córdoba city, Córdoba province
The CNEA currently holds two U.S. patents(see external links)
Spinoffs
Although power reactors in the 100-megawatt range have not been built by Argentina on its own,
INVAP S.E., a company owned by the Río Negro Province
Río Negro (, ''Black River'') is a province of Argentina, located in northern Patagonia. Neighboring provinces are from the south clockwise Chubut, Neuquén, Mendoza, La Pampa and Buenos Aires. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean.
Its capit ...
, started by graduates of the Instituto Balseiro in 1976, has exported research reactor
Research reactors are nuclear fission-based nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or maritim ...
s to Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
, Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
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, capital = Algiers
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, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
, Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and most recently Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
(2000). The Australian reactor, OPAL
Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...
, featuring a core power of 20 MW became operational in 2006, reaching full power in November of that year.
See also
*Nuclear energy in Argentina
In Argentina, about 10% of the electricity comes from 3 operational nuclear reactors: Embalse, a CANDU reactor, and Atucha I and II, two PHWR German designs.
In 2001, the Atucha plant was modified to burn Slightly Enriched Uranium, making it t ...
*Sabato Institute of Technology
Sabato Institute of Technology ( es, Instituto de Tecnología Sabato) is an academic institution that belongs partially to the National University of General San Martín and partially to Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission. It is name ...
*INVAP
INVAP S.E. is an Argentine company that provides design, integration, construction and delivery of equipment, plants and devices. The company operates in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and delivers p ...
*International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...
*Huemul Project
The Huemul Project ( es, Proyecto Huemul) was an early 1950s Argentine effort to develop a fusion power device known as the Thermotron. The concept was invented by Austrian scientist Ronald Richter, who claimed to have a design that would produce ...
References
External links
*
* -- ''"Process for the separation of components in multicomponent mixtures, for the case wherein the diagram of binary phases of the two major components presents a monotectic and their densities are different,"'' 1976
* -- ''"Ion beam deposition of diamond-like carbon films,"'' 1996.
{{Coord, 34, 32, 22, S, 58, 27, 55, W, display=title
Government agencies of Argentina
Scientific organisations based in Argentina
Governmental nuclear organizations
Nuclear technology in Argentina
1950 establishments in Argentina
Government agencies established in 1950