YPF announces the launch of YPF Nuclear and will enter uranium mining in Chubut

YPF has taken a new step toward diversifying its energy matrix with the design of YPF Nuclear, a new subsidiary aimed at promoting the development of uranium mining in Argentina, starting in the province of Chubut. The announcement aligns with the  Argentine Nuclear Plan, led by Demian Reidel from Nucleoeléctrica, which aims to reposition the country as a key player in the generation and export of atomic energy.

The initiative was discussed this Wednesday in a meeting held at YPF's headquarters in Puerto Madero, with the participation of Chubut's governor, Ignacio Torres, Chief of Cabinet Guillermo Francos, YPF's president, Horacio Marín, and Reidel himself. In addition, Chubut's presentation before the New York Court seeking to lift the embargo on shares of the state oil company was addressed.

Chubut, axis of the new nuclear hub

The plan includes creating a mining-nuclear development hub in Chubut, a region that hosts some of the country's most promising uranium deposits.  The province is negotiating with the Nation for the transfer of more than 25,000 hectares (61,776 acres) of projects currently under the control of the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA). This is part of a broader negotiation to compensate for the loss of national transfers.

Among the mining projects are Cerro Solo, Los Adobes, Laguna Colorada, and Sierra Cuadrada, among others. The intention is to turn this underutilized wealth into a strategic source of resources to supply the domestic market and promote exports.

Nuclear energy and technological revolution

The new energy strategy is part of the Argentine Nuclear Plan presented by Reidel in April. Among its main goals is the construction of 300 MW SRM modular reactors, using domestic technology, which would be integrated into the Atucha nuclear complex in Buenos Aires.

The plan is structured in three phases:

• Phase 1: Development of a nuclear plant with four SRM modules. Construction will involve the coordinated participation of Nucleoeléctrica, Invap, Conuar, CNEA, and private capital.
• Phase 2: Export of uranium under the so-called "Gillette model." The idea is to sell modular reactors accompanied by contracts for the supply of Argentine uranium, which is currently underexploited.
• Phase 3: Attraction of foreign investment and technology companies interested in data centers that require clean, reliable, and continuous energy.

A long-term bet to transform the energy matrix

YPF Nuclear is presented as a strategic project of the state oil company, which seeks to expand its role in the new energy paradigm, combining  innovation, self-sufficiency, and territorial development.

In this context,  uranium mining takes on a new dimension as a critical input for clean and exportable energy, in a world that increasingly demands more energy capacity due to the rise of technologies such as artificial intelligence.