Argentina's nuclear sector hit by mass layoffs and privatization under President Milei

Since Javier Milei took office, Argentina’s nuclear establishment has undergone a severe contraction. The Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) saw its budget cut by 42% between 2023 and 2025, leading to the dismissal of 571 staff members and the loss of additional workers at Nucleoeléctrica Argentina, the regulator and related firms. Workers protested the dismissals, accusing the government of “vacuuming” the country’s 76‑year nuclear legacy.

Key projects have stalled. The domestically designed CAREM‑25 reactor, once 80% complete, is now abandoned, with infrastructure exposed to the elements. Simultaneously, the government announced a private‑capital plan for a 300‑MW reactor at Atucha, backed by US investors and projected to create about 2,000 jobs. The state‑run power company Nucleoeléctrica Argentina, which operates the Atucha I, Atucha II and Embalse plants, is being partially privatized, with a 44% share auctioned after the passage of a new law.

Critics warn that the combined budget cuts, workforce reductions and opening to foreign capital threaten Argentina’s strategic nuclear capabilities and technological sovereignty. International delegations, including U.S. officials, have visited Argentine nuclear sites amid the controversy.