Nuclear power generation in Chile, possibility or utopia

Regardless the pressure of several groups, nuclear power stands for one sixth of worldwide electricity supply, produced from a resource that well managed could be available for centuries beyond the exhaustion of oil and natural gas. Such power option could support a macro power system with low environmental impact. The Chilean power demand is growing at a high rate. Without fossil supplies, our potential hydraulic capacity would become exhausted at an early date and our country would face a severe energy dependence, without control of generation costs and with increased atmospheric emissions, some of which would be responsible for global environmental effects. Nuclear power would stabilize generation costs in the near and mid terms and would also arrest gaseous emissions. This paper discusses the current status of the nuclear industry and those pending issues, compared to other power options. It also discusses the estimated year for the operation the of first nuclear power plant. Although nuclear power technology seems to be in a mature stage, it is suggested that the aggressive use of advanced and moreover innovative reactor designs would result in a greater nuclear technology penetration. Several of such designs or concepts await commercial demonstration within the decade. Those would also extend the benefits of nuclear power to countries with reduced or moderate power grids, as is our case. (author)