Testing under way for Atucha 2's dry storage facility equipment

The ASECG II (Almacenamiento en Seco de Combustibles Gastados de Atucha II) facility is seen as a key part of the necessary work for the long-term operation of the unit.

When complete, it will have the capacity to store up to 50,000 used fuel elements safely and securely on the plant site, and includes a passive ventilation system that maintains the temperature of the elements within safe ranges without requiring electricity or human intervention, Nucleoelectrica said.

Used fuel is generally stored under water for at least five years - and often much longer - once it is removed from reactors, after which it will have cooled and will not emit as much radiation.

At Atucha 2, the cooling ponds are likely to be full by the end of next year and Nucleoelectrica says the new facility is needed to ensure the plant can remain operational.

Among equipment being tested is the gantry crane, which will be needed to safely and accurately move containers within the facility. It was developed by IMPSA, based on a technical specification from Nucleoelectrica, and was delivered at the end of 2025. Installation and commissioning was scheduled to take place over a four-month period.

A dry fuel storage facility for the Atucha 1 nuclear power plant was opened in 2022 to store fuel assemblies used in the pressurised heavy water reactor.

Background

Atucha II is a 693 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor and was ordered in 1979. It was a Siemens design, a larger version of the first unit at Atucha, and construction started in 1981 by a joint venture of Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) and Germany's Siemens-Kraftwerk Union. However, work proceeded slowly due to lack of funds and was suspended in 1994 with the plant 81% complete.

In 1994, Nucleoeléctrica Argentina was set up to take over the nuclear power plants from CNEA and oversee construction of Atucha II. In 2003, plans for completing Atucha II were presented to the government. The government announced a strategic plan in August 2006 for the country's nuclear power sector, including completion of Atucha II. The unit was effectively completed in September 2011. First criticality was achieved early in June 2014, and grid connection was later that month, with full power in February 2015.

In May this year the Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear issued a renewed 10-year operating licence until May 2036.