Federal judge Miguel Hugo Vaca Narvaja upheld the continuity of the uranium dioxide plant with a conditional extension scheme.
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The Dioxitek plant, located in the Alta Córdoba neighborhood, received a key judicial guarantee to continue operating for an initial period of 3 years. During a hearing in the Federal Courts, Judge Miguel Hugo Vaca Narvaja considered this deadline reasonable to facilitate the transfer to Formosa. However, the final signing of the agreement with the Municipality of Córdoba was postponed to May 5 after a 20-day interim quarter
.
This agreement will guarantee the expected production of uranium dioxide, with a view to achieving national self-sufficiency of material for Argentine nuclear power plants. It will also make it possible to guarantee the outline of the investment plan to improve the operation, the safety standards of the Córdoba plant and increase its production. In addition, the extension agreement will ensure the stability of all the jobs of the company's staff
.
The municipality requires that this new extension be strictly the last one granted to the state company responsible for manufacturing nuclear fuel. There is concern that the permit may be automatically extended for another 3 additional years, for a total of 6 years of activity. Local authorities intend that any extension after the first 3 years be thoroughly evaluated by the court according to the real progress
plan.
The Municipal Department of Environment also requested that environmental control reports be submitted biannually to ensure more rigorous monitoring. Dioxitek argued technical reasons for maintaining annual reports, although the possibility of carrying out quarterly or biannual municipal inspections was agreed. The objective is to ensure that the plant complies with safety regulations while the construction of the new industrial complex in the north of the country is completed
. Entrance to the Dioxitek plant located in the Alta Córdoba neighborhood
Waste treatment on the property One of the
central points of the judicial debate was the final destination of the waste disposal popularly known as “El Chichón” on the CNEA property. The municipal legal counsel asked for a concrete plan to determine what will happen to that space once production is permanently removed from the city. The representative of the National Atomic Energy Commission said that they are working with the province to define the most appropriate strategy
.
The Formosa plant is currently close to 70% complete, but requires an additional investment estimated at about 50,000,000 dollars. This amount is necessary to finalize the infrastructure, carry out pending tenders and run idle tests before opening. The transfer would allow Córdoba to finally comply with the land use ordinance that prohibits this industrial activity within the capital's
urban ejido.
Dioxitek has been operating with emergency permits since 1986, despite the fact that its nuclear activity contravenes municipal urban planning regulations. The company's management plans to convert the project in Formosa to produce 200 tons of ceramic dioxide and seek foreign markets with other compounds. This change in production strategy seeks to optimize resources and adapt supply to the current requirements of Argentine atomic power plants
. Judge Miguel Hugo Vaca Narvaja granted the guarantee that Dioxitek can continue operating in Córdoba for an initial period of 3 years
A decade of cases and judicial extensions Judge Vaca Narvaja recalled that the judicial
case has been open for a decade, caused by the preventive closure imposed during the administration of former intendent Ramón Mestre. During this time, multiple agreements were signed that registered various breaches by the different national administrations in office. The current instance shows a stronger commitment to moving operations, which motivates the court's flexibility to grant this new
legal deadline.
In previous meetings, the state company had initially raised the need for 8 years to make minimum relocation investments. This period was later relaxed to 6 years, after ruling out the recovery of investments in the old infrastructure it has in the northern area of Córdoba. The final proposal that reached the court reflects the need to sustain the supply of uranium without jeopardizing the operation of the national energy system.
The Nuclear Regulatory Authority reported that in 2024 there was a minor incident linked to the dissemination of uranyl and ammonium dust in the plant. In addition, 4 other safety events reported by Dioxitek itself were reported during the course of 2025, which prompted requests for technical review.
This technical background is essential to establish the monitoring protocols that the Municipality of Córdoba intends to apply during the next few years of validity.The definitive signing of the agreement between Dioxitek and the Municipality of Córdoba was postponed until May 5
Private investments and future of production The
total completion of the project in Formosa depends to a large extent on the arrival of private capital to finance the final stretch of civil works. The new plant is projected to not only produce uranium dioxide, but also uranium hexafluoride, a chemical compound that occurs as a heavy gas. This productive diversification would allow Dioxitek to compete in international markets and guarantee the company's long-term economic sustainability
.
The 20-day interim quarter will serve to polish the annexes of the agreement and define the responsibilities of each party in the rehabilitation of the current building. TheMunicipality of Córdobaremains firm in its position not to grant more temporary concessions that exceed the reasonable limit of the proposed 6 years. Transparency in construction progress reports in Formosa will be the necessary condition for the Federal Court to keep the operating permit in force
.
Dioxitek is a strategic element for the operation of the country's nuclear power plants, adding additional pressure to the resolution of this conflict. The court seeks to balance the need for nuclear fuel production with the demand of residents of Alta Córdoba to live in an environment without nuclear activity. This agreement is expected to be signed on May 5, which would set a definitive expiry date for nuclear activity in the capital city
