BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Argentina has formally created the Secretariat of Nuclear Affairs, a significant structural shift in the country's national energy strategy under President Javier Milei, aimed at positioning Argentina as a global energy leader and attracting large-scale investment.
In announcing the move, the government highlighted the country's strengths for developing a nuclear plan, including its pool of highly trained human capital and vast, low-temperature lands in Patagonia seen as suitable for hosting artificial intelligence data centers. These advantages, officials said, allow for a combination of clean nuclear energy and cutting-edge technology.
The plan will roll out in stages. The first phase involves building small modular reactors, or SMRs, at the Atucha Nuclear Power Plant site, already underway, to ensure nationwide energy supply and reduce power outages.
SMRs produce stable and low-cost electricity, making them well-suited to power AI data centers, and would position Argentina as a regional hub for digital innovation and nuclear energy exports.
In the second phase, the government plans to develop uranium reserves to meet domestic demand and turn Argentina into an exporter of high-value nuclear fuels.
