FTD.de »
Management + Karriere »
Business English »
Chile torn over using Patagonia to create energy
FTD-Serie: Serie Business English
Fehlt Ihnen im Englischen häufiger das treffende Wort? Kommen Sie trotz guter Vorsätze nicht dazu, ein Magazin oder Buch im Original zu lesen? Dann finden Sie hier interessante und vielfältige Lektüre aus der Financial Times - mit einem Glossar, das Ihnen auf die Sprünge hilft.
Business English: Chile torn over using Patagonia to create energy
Environmentalists are fiercely opposed to a scheme for four hydroelectric dams to power growth, claiming that large dams are not the answer, and that they will ruin the area's tourism potential.For now, the impossibly luminous, turquoise waters of the River Baker rush freely through rugged canyons in the far south of Chile. But this wilderness will not remain untouched for much longer if plans go ahead for a $4bn hydroelectric project, flooding about 90 square kilometres.
Environmentalists are up in arms. Although Chile faces serious challenges in meeting the increasing energy demands of its fast-growing economy, they say large dams are not the answer, and will ruin the area's tourism potential.
"The flooding of Patagonia is at stake. Our landscapes will be irreversibly changed," says Sara Larraín, head of Sustainable Chile and a former presidential candidate, who also objects to a 2,000km transmission line, whose pylons will carve through the country to Santiago, where the energy will be consumed.
The four dams planned by the joint venture between Endesa Chile, a subsidiary of Spain's Endesa, and Chile's Colbún would add 2,400MW to Chile's current capacity of about 12,000MW, which experts say needs to double over the next decade to sustain growth levels.
But Ms Larraín fears the construction of these dams will leave the door open for further projects in the Aysén region, which, with one of the largest reserves of fresh water in the world, is reckoned to have hydroelectric capacity of more than 8,000MW. Already Falconbridge is planning to install a hydroelectric plant nearby.
Karen Poniachik, energy minister, argues that Chile cannot afford the luxury of not using its own energy resources. Asked in an interview with the Financial Times about the impact of the Aysén project on the environment and the local community, Ms Poniachik countered: "What about the environmental, social and political costs of Chile not having energy?"
Chile has had a problem since Argentina's energy shortages forced it in 2004 to start cutting natural gas exports to its neighbour, which relies on Argentine gas for a third of its electricity generation. Consequently, Chile believes it must diversify sources and increase autonomy to ensure security in supply and price.
Ms Poniachik points out that hydroelectricity - which today accounts for 40 per cent of Chile's electricity generation - is cheap, clean and reliable, especially in the Aysén region, which has Chile's highest levels of rainfall.
The main alternatives - coal and liquefied natural gas - are dearer and dirtier. Chile has significant geothermal energy resources, which could generate at least 4,000MW, although they are expensive to develop.
It is clear too that, although neighbouring countries may have considerable natural gas reserves, they cannot be relied on. Argentina is struggling to supply its own market, while an agreement remains to be reached with Bolivia, which refuses to deal with Chile because of a century-old border dispute.
This increases the pressure for Patagonia's water to be exploited. Endesa Chile's chief executive, Rafael Mateo, is confident the project will go ahead if all parties concerned want it to, although its environmental impact is still being analysed and construction would not begin until 2008.
"It is a project of interest for the whole national electricity system, using Chilean resources that are renewable and economical, helping to maintain current electricity prices," he says.
But local opinion is divided and many fear the social consequences of development, while harbouring deep suspicion of private sector interests.
"How can we protect our natural beauty and not leave it in the hands of those who want to exploit it in a way which will only benefit big business?" asks a local priest, Father Bernardino Sanello, in Cochrane, an isolated town of 2,800 people near the sites of two of the four dams.
"For me, Endesa is like Satan," says Marcos Díaz, who founded the Defenders of the Spirit of Patagonia to put a stop to the hydroelectric project. "This is a struggle between good and evil."
-
FTD.de, 18.01.2007
© 2007 Financial Times Deutschland,
Suche in der FTD-Personendatenbank
© 1999 - 2012 Financial Times Deutschland
Aktuelle Nachrichten über Wirtschaft, Politik, Finanzen und Börsen
Börsen- und Finanzmarktdaten:
Bereitstellung der Kurs- und Marktinformationen erfolgt durch die Interactive Data Managed Solutions AG. Es wird keine Haftung für die Richtigkeit der Angaben übernommen!
Über FTD.de | Impressum | Datenschutz | Disclaimer | Mediadaten | E-Mail an FTD | Sitemap | Hilfe | Archiv
Mit ICRA gekennzeichnet
VW | Siemens | Apple | Gold | MBA | Business English | IQ-Test | Gehaltsrechner | Festgeld-Vergleich | Erbschaftssteuer
G+J Glossar
Partner-Angebote
Aktuelle Nachrichten über Wirtschaft, Politik, Finanzen und Börsen
Börsen- und Finanzmarktdaten:
Bereitstellung der Kurs- und Marktinformationen erfolgt durch die Interactive Data Managed Solutions AG. Es wird keine Haftung für die Richtigkeit der Angaben übernommen!
Über FTD.de | Impressum | Datenschutz | Disclaimer | Mediadaten | E-Mail an FTD | Sitemap | Hilfe | Archiv
Mit ICRA gekennzeichnet
VW | Siemens | Apple | Gold | MBA | Business English | IQ-Test | Gehaltsrechner | Festgeld-Vergleich | Erbschaftssteuer
G+J Glossar
Partner-Angebote