Japan Nuclear Crisis Affects Chilean Power Industry

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Recent problems at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant caused by the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami are having effects on the Latin American Power Industry.

Nuclear power is not prominent in South America. Brazil owns two nuclear power stations (Angra I & II), while Argentina has the Embalse Rio III & Atucha nuclear power stations.

Nevertheless, the events in Japan have raised the matter of nuclear power safety across the world. Brazil is not planning to suspend its nuclear power program, which includes the construction of four new plants.

In Chile, the incidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are a setback for those arguing for the development of a nuclear power program in the country. The incident has highlighted the dangers of constructing nuclear power plants in the seismically active country, which experienced a magnitude 8.8 earthquake on February 27, 2010, in the city of Concepcion. For additional information, see March 17, 2010, article - Chilean Reconstruction to Require Billions in Industrial Spending.

Atomic energy has long been deliberated in Chile, with opponents mainly arguing that the country is vulnerable to earthquakes. Chile had implemented a power plant to obtain 26% of its energy through nuclear power by 2035. In February 2011, Minister of Energy Laurence Golborne named Jaime Salas as the new leader of the Chilean Atomic Energy Commission. Together, they traveled to France, where they signed an agreement of cooperation with the French government to instruct Chilean nuclear engineers.

President Sebastián Piñera said that he could not foresee the establishment of atomic energy in the country until 2025. Chile's senate recently accepted a draft agreement calling for Piñera to suspend nuclear energy plans in favor of renewable energy sources. The president previously committed to obtain 20% of Chile's power from renewable energy sources by 2020.

U.S. President Barack Obama has included nuclear power in his agenda during his upcoming visit to Chile, Brazil and El Salvador. Next week, the United States and Chile are due to sign a proposed memorandum of understanding regarding nuclear energy.

Obama met with Piñera during the April 2010 Global Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington, where the president showed gratitude to Chile for encouraging nuclear nonproliferation and eliminating all highly enriched uranium from the country. The United States and Chile signed an agreement for collaboration in clean energy technologies in June 2009. That accord calls for evaluation of renewable resource potential; recognition of projects suitable for joint research and development; the exchange of scientific and technical information; and the exchange of scientists, engineers and other energy experts.

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