Peru and the United States will join forces to evaluate the development of new nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes, including small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors, which could offer an alternative for providing reliable electricity to communities in the Amazon and Andean highlands that lack access to conventional power grids.
Both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU), which will strengthen joint efforts and facilitate the assessment of the responsible development of nuclear technologies for power generation.
The agreement was signed during the inauguration of the First Bilateral Workshop under the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program.
Participants included the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Thomas G. DiNanno; U.S. Ambassador to Peru, Bernie Navarro; and Minister of Energy and Mines, Guillermo Shinno, representing the Peruvian State.
The Acting Chairman of the Peruvian Institute of Nuclear Energy (IPEN), Carlos Palomares Villanueva, attended the event as well.
Although the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) was responsible for the official signing of the memorandum, IPEN will take the technical lead in assessing small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors in Peru.
During the bilateral workshop, IPEN Production Director Rocío Solís explained that the institution and MINEM are working on a preliminary strategy extending to 2040.
This roadmap follows the methodology of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is supported by Law No. 32560, which aims to promote nuclear power generation.
The assessment also draws on IPEN's technical expertise, backed by nearly 40 years of safe operation of the RP-10 research reactor, located in Huarangal, Carabayllo district, Lima.
This facility plays an important role in public health, as it enables the production of radiopharmaceuticals that benefit approximately 45,000 patients each year.
Moreover, it processes pigskin-based dressings used to treat burn patients.
How could these technologies benefit remote communities?
One of the main objectives of evaluating SMRs is to explore alternatives that could ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply to healthcare facilities, schools, and communities in hard-to-reach areas.
A reliable, uninterrupted electricity supply could help preserve medicines, keep medical equipment operational, and facilitate students' access to technological tools in communities beyond the reach of conventional power grids.
"Just as we have the privilege of going home and having electricity to watch Netflix, other citizens and Peruvians should also be able to have it for a school or a hospital," Solís emphasized.
Cooperation between Peru and the United States marks a new stage in the assessment of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes.
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