Argentina, Russia Ink Uranium Exploration, Production Deal
Argentina and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding to boost uranium exploration and production in the South American country that could include $250 million in investment, Argentina's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
The agreement was sealed during a visit by Argentine President Mauricio Macri to Moscow. It was signed by Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie, chief executive of Russia's Uranium One Group, and chief of London-based UrAmerica Ltd <IPO-URAL.L>, which explores for uranium in Argentina and Paraguay.
Argentina is seeking to boost domestic nuclear power production, which depends on uranium, in order to reduce its energy deficit. In a joint statement with Macri, Russian President Vladimir Putin said state nuclear agency Rosatom has proposed building a nuclear power station in Argentina.
Latin America's No. 3 economy already generates 5 percent of its electricity with three heavy-water nuclear reactors. The country plans to start building two new nuclear reactors in the second half of this year at a cost of $13 billion, most of it financed by Chinese organizations.
Argentina's foreign ministry said in a statement the goal of the deal was to achieve "national self-sufficiency in uranium."
Uranium One, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rosatom, is the world's fourth-largest uranium producer.
Reporting by Luc Cohen
