The Embalse nuclear power plant has been reconnected to the grid after three years of maintenance, in order to extend its operating life by 30 years. 90% of Embalse components for this operation are supplied by Argentinean manufacturers, among them, the four Steam Generators (14 meters long, 13 tons, 3500 tubes and 7000 high precision welds each), manufactured by Impsa, a leading nuclear manufacturer in Argentina, based in Mendoza.
Impsa, founded 111 years ago, was specialized in port cranes and hydroelectric power
generation; then it gradually expanded in the wind and nuclear power; Impsa has 50 GW of installed power in 40 countries. It employs 750 people and a large network of small and medium size enterprises in Argentina.
In April 2018, Impsa leaped in a new phase: change of shareholding and name.
Impsa belongs to the Pescarmona family (35% of the shares) and completed the restructuring of a liability close to US $ 1.1 Billion. Since then 65% of the shares are from the Inter-American Development Bank; the National Bank and bond holders. Before the refinancing, Impsa generated between US $ 200-250 million of revenue with exceptional peaks of US $ 1 Billion. Its CEO is Juan Carlos Fernández.
Impsa is a supplier for the Carem 25, the first nuclear reactor of Argentinean design and manufacturing. The client of the prototype is the National Atomic Energy Commission (Conea).
In the case of works for Embalse, Impsa had five failures during the quality control in the four steam generators when the permitted level is ten for each one.
The company is one of three in Latin America with Asme “N” certification and started working in the nuclear area 30 years ago, by manufacturing some components for Atucha 1, then the steam generators of Atucha 2 and those of Embalse. The office of Impsa in the United States is prospecting for the sales of equipment and nuclear engineering to North America. Impsa has executed 180 projects in the last 15 years, including 140 overseas.
Impsa is delivering equipment for the six turbines of 154 MW in Yacyretá project, the three turbines of 103 MW turbines for the Paranaense Energy Company (Brazil), the modernization of generators for the National Electric Power Administration of Paraguay and the Francis Rodetes power plant of 22.7 MW in Malaysia.
In Argentina, Impsa is doing repairs and maintenance services for several hydroelectric plants, including Ameghino (Chubut), Pichi Picún Leufú (Neuquén), Ullum (San Juan), and
Planicie Banderita (Neuquén).
In the wind sector, Impsa has an ongoing cooperation agreement with the government of Mendoza, INTI and the National University of Cuyo for the development of a 4.6 MW wind turbine that will be ready in less than two years. The market already demands more power than the 2.4 MW existing turbine, which was delivered to wind farms in Parque Arauco (La Rioja), El Jume (Santiago del Estero), and La Guajira park (Venezuela).
