[en] Full text: The Advanced Fuel for Argentine Reactors (CARA) is an attempt to improve the NPPs competitiveness within the Argentine electricity market, by means of reducing the fuel cost together with its flexibility and reliability increase. The performance of neutronic, thermohydraulic and thermomechanical fuel rod behavior of the CARA fuel and its economics have been done for a feasibility study at design level. The National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) of Argentina is carrying out the CARA project together with CONUAR (fuel manufacturer company) and NASA (NPP operator utility) support. The project has been divided in three phases, each one involving growing complexity and cost with decreasing technology risks. The project will be finished by 2002. After the final irradiation tests and post irradiation evaluation, licensing will be done, the whole project will be finished before 2002. At present the first phase is being carried out. This includes the design and construction of two CARA fuel element prototypes for the hydraulic characterization in a low pressure test loop in Atomic Constituyentes Center (CAC) and vibration analysis between fuel rod and spacer springs and dimples. This phase is being carried out by CNEA and CONUAR. This work describes the tasks done during the last four months, the state of the project and the schedule to the end of this phase. Six Zircaloy elastic spacers were designed and manufactured by CAC, different CNEA groups took part in the design and engineering, and CONUAR manufactured the fuel rod and the assembly of two CARA fuels with demountable end plates and three elastic spacers, and made two special fuel rods for vibration analysis. The second phase will begin after the hydraulic fuel and vibrational behavior characterization. This phase includes design and manufacture of 11 prototypes ( 6 to for Embalse NPP and 5 for Atucha I NPP) to be tested at low pressure loop and operating NPP conditions. A module for critical heat flux measurement will be made. The estimated time for this phase is 18 months