Energy consumption throughout the world is expected to double within the next 50 years and to rise five times in the next 100. Even if we were to make vigorous conservation efforts, energy production shall triple towards 2050 just to maintain the world's average in one third of the current per capita consumption of the United States of America. This indicates that there will be a strong demand of energy, particularly within the developing world.

Nuclear electricity generation represents an economic market of high added value and significance: in member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development alone, USD 20 billion are mobilized each year in nuclear fuel, added to another USD 30 billion in services and spares.

The last few years have registered a remarkable demand of new stations, particularly in Asian countries (where more than 50 units were installed). The USA and Europe have increased their nuclear generation, although mainly due to a rise in the availability of existing stations.

This trend is expected to increase even more in the coming future in view of the rise in energy consumption and the growing concern on environmental pollution, particularly as a result of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.

The application of the so-called renewable energy sources (solar, wind, etc.) does not cover more than 2 to 3% of consumption within the nations strongly devoted to their growth, e.g. Denmark, Sweden and Germany. The development of these sources is still uncertain with respect to the massive generation of energy required in the medium run.

Hence, it is estimated that there will be a substitution within the world's generation system, opting for nuclear-electric energy, which results comparatively cleaner than the sources presently available for massive generation.

In general, developing nations need to acquire technical infrastructure, industrial and financial capacities - as well as an adequate regulatory framework - to successfully incorporate their first nuclear power plant. The large size and high total investment cost of the NPPs currently available within the international market usually represents an unsurmountable obstacle due to the enormous pressure that they bring forth onto available resources.

A low-cost nuclear power plant that incorporates innovative safety features with reduced operational requirements, qualitatively reproduces the conditions present in a typical NPP, facilitates the gradual development of resources and paves the way for the installation of NPPs that allow meeting the future demand of energy.

Studies by different organizations and experts in the field indicate that during the next 15 years there will be a world demand of 18 to 34 small nuclear power plants (below 150 MWe) within a group of some 20 countries. In view that there are presently no commercial products in this segment, Argentina has an excellent opportunity to draw a key advantage in the short run to attract a significant share of the said market.