In meetings with IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei this week, Argentina′s Minister of Federal Planning, Public Investment and Services, Dr. Julio de Vido, said that construction is planned to resume on the country′s Atucha-2 nuclear power plant.

Construction on the plant began in 1981, but work was halted in the 1990s. Argentina presently has two operating nuclear power plants that together produce about 9% of the country′s energy. Completing the Atucha plant is expected to help ease Argentina′s energy needs.

Dr. ElBaradei said that the IAEA is exploring possibilities with Argentine authorities for the Agency′s technical cooperation and assistance during the plant′s completion period, which is expected to take about four years.

Argentina is a contracting party to the international Convention on Nuclear Safety, which is under IAEA auspices. Parties to the convention are concluding a review meeting at the IAEA in Vienna 22 April, 2005.