An industry group in Chile has proposed to the government that the country builds enough nuclear power reactors to provide 30 percent of its electricity generation by 2030.
The Nuclear Power Committee of the Association of Engineers said its “30/30” proposal would meet the 30 percent target with “relative ease” using four nuclear reactors of 1,200 and 1,400 megawatts each at two sites. The units would be built in central and northern Chile and would provide electricity to the capital, Santiago, and the north of the country.
Construction of each of the reactors would require an investment of about 10 billion US dollars (about seven billion euro), the association said.
The association is proposing that construction of the first nuclear station could start in 2017 or 2018 with commercial operation in 2022 or 2023. Construction of the second station could start in 2022 or 2023 with commercial operation in 2027 or 2028.
Chile has two research reactors, but has no commercial nuclear reactors. It has carried out a number of studies into the possibility of building nuclear stations and has been cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency on self-assessment programmes as part of its preparation for new build.