Chile Forum

Just curious. Are there no rivers close to Santiago that could be used for electricity generation? It seems it would be much more economical to generate the power closer to where it is being used.

Apparently, electricity can be moved quite a distance. Oregon sells clean electricity to California and that travels quite a distance. But still, close means less miles of expensive power lines.

It's Chile's business and not mine, but I live in a state with lots of hydro dams, and I don't see the problem. They make very nice lakes. Water comes in the top and goes out the downhill side, so the rivers are still running. The power lines make useful fire breaks (or are there never any forest fires in Chile?). Wildlife makes good use of the cleared area to graze. Electrical road maintenance roads are invaluable for fire fighting.

I'd rather see hydropower than coal fired or gas fired generating plants.

I don't have anything against modern nuclear power plants, but I'd rather see hydropower.

Solar is still not sufficiently developed and it is very expensive. Wind power is rather expensive and it kills both birds and fish. Tidal power looks promising, but still developmental. Hydropower is clean, safe, and not dangerous to wildlife, as long as adequate fish ladders are installed.

oregon woodsmoke wrote: Are there no rivers close to Santiago that could be used for electricity generation? It seems it would be much more economical to generate the power closer to where it is being used.

Wind power is rather expensive and it kills both birds and fish.

Wind power kills fish? Flying fish? Or what?

Wind power has proven uneconomical without huge government subsidies in the US. Wind farms are now being abandoned as subsidies run out. And as wind generators age, accidents are increasing. It's actually a rather hazardous technology.

As far as rivers close to Santiago -- those basins that are practical to use have been developed. There is not enough water in the various nearby hydro basins that can be economically dammed to serve all the needs of increasing power demand, potable water, industrial water, and agricultural water.

The Bio Bio river complex is done.
Now they have to go south for big water.
As pointed out what fish do Wind Turbines kill???? The new slow RPM ones don't kill birds.

Yea, it is called the Bio Bio. Already dammed.

nwdiver wrote: The new slow RPM ones don't kill birds.

The jury is still out on that one. Likewise the concern for the bats that are killed by the turbines. It's hard to know whose numbers to believe.