Chavez freezes nuclear-plant program

[rabs]

Chavez Halts Venezuela Nuclear Plans After Japanese Crisis

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that he’s halting plans to develop nuclear power in the South American country as Japan struggles to avoid a meltdown at a plant after last week’s earthquake and tsunami.

“I’m ordering Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez to freeze all nuclear power development projects for peaceful means,” Chavez said today on state television.

Chavez signed a deal with Russia’s Rosatom Corp. in October to develop nuclear power in Venezuela including a research reactor. Electricity Minister Ali Rodriguez said on Oct. 21 that Venezuela hoped to eventually produce 4,000 megawatts of nuclear power.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-16/chavez-halts-venezuela-nuclear-plans-after-japanese-crisis.html

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Spotted this story in Spanish-language site. Found this Bloomberg blurb in English.

Think it is a wise move because Venezuela is earthquake prone. Latam countries that have operating N-plants are Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, which has had its share of very strong earthquakes.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Very wise, for certain. Thank you. Rec.

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[camila flor]

2. Gracias a Dios

Bien hecho

[rabs]

3. Santos and Pinera on the nuclear issue

Primero; camila flor, bienvenida al foro. Esperamos contribuciones desde tenochtitlan. :hi:

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Al Gore was in Bogota today at an environment conference. JuanMa said at the conference that he "applauded" the nuclear-program freeze announced the day before by Hugo Chavez.

Santos also said he would back a tax on CO2 emissions (suspect he said this to try to impress Al Gore).

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Meantime, down in Santiago, Pinera is full-steam ahead. Maybe Pinera has forgotten the 8.8 of just over a year ago.

* Chile to sign nuclear cooperation agreement with U.S.

* Chile needs to double energy supply in 10 years: Pinera

SANTIAGO, March 16 (Reuters) - Chile should not be afraid of nuclear energy and will sign a cooperation pact with the United States this week despite the fallout from Japan's crisis, President Sebastian Pinera said on Wednesday.

Chile's Foreign Minister Alfredo Moreno is set to sign the nuclear cooperation pact with the U.S. embassy in Santiago on Friday, three days ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama during a Latin American tour.

"Chile needs to learn about nuclear energy," Pinera said after a meeting with the Japanese ambassador in Santiago. "We can't be afraid to learn ... about all sources of energy."

Pinera said Chile needs to double its energy supply in 10 years to cope with rising demand, stressing nuclear energy was one of many options to help boost power output in a land grappling with cyclical energy squeezes.

However, the government stresses that no decision on whether to adopt nuclear power will be made during Pinera's presidency, which ends in 2014, and that it is simply fact-finding.

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN1630056720110316



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