Iranian investor Hamid Ansari pledges $1.2bn for Argentina modular reactor

Iranian businessman Hamid Ansari, through Meitner Energy Latam, announced a $1.2 billion private investment to build an ACR‑300 small modular reactor at the Atucha nuclear complex in Zárate, Argentina. The project, developed with state‑owned INVAP, will be financed entirely with private capital under the Super RIGI incentive regime and is expected to create about 2,000 direct jobs during development, construction and operation. It is framed as the world’s first commercial Generation III+ modular reactor and a flagship element of President Javier Milei’s revived nuclear plan.

Energy expert Emilio Apud supported the shift toward private‑driven nuclear projects, noting that large megaprojects are uneconomic for Argentina’s market. He highlighted the potential of small modular reactors for export and the importance of public‑private partnerships, the RIGI incentives, and retaining the country’s 70‑year nuclear know‑how amid changing energy dynamics such as Vaca Muerta gas and renewables.