Director of "Sustainable Chile" speaks out against lobby to build nuclear plants in the country

SANTIAGO.- This morning, the head of “Sustainable Chile” (Chile Sustentable), Sara Larraín, spoke out against strong lobby that is being developed by companies with connections to important political officials trying to gain approval for the construction of nuclear plants within the country. 

“We have the minister of Public Works (Sergio) Bitar visiting nuclear energy plants in France; we have Senators (Ricardo) Núñez, (Jaime) Orpis and (Baldo) Prokurica visiting nuclear plants in Russia, in other words, there is a lobby forming for the nuclear industry here”, Larraín told Radio ADN.

According to Larraín, the implementation of nuclear energy generators in Chile would be detrimental for three reasons:  “first off, it is an industry that is socially obsolete”. 

Secondly, the environmental leader indicated that the energy matrix “has unresolved technological problems, such as the issue of waste management” and lastly, she added that “since it is an alternative that has two types of uses, for military and energy purposes, It implies huge geopolitical risks, let’s not forget that it was the excuse used to invade Iraq, and that it is the reason for the current tension with Iran”.