I am very surprised that the government has approved the huge Coal Fired Power Plant in the Copiapo area contrary to its stated policy of reduction of carbon emissions and dependence on non-renewable resources (most of which will need to be imported).
Chile has some of the best atmospheric conditions for the installation of Base Load Solar Power in the world but it seems that nobody is interested.
By "best atmospheric conditions" it is meant that each square metre of surface can receive very substantially more energy from the sun than can be received at ocean level.
The selection criteria for a Solar Farm site is very simple: above average sunshine days, low atmospheric density (higher altitude), low atmospheric moisture content and low levels of particulate contamination; to wit anywhere north of Copiapo and above 500 metres above sea level. Most of the area described is not amenable to agriculture or any other productive use except mining, land based fish farming or Dakar Rallys so why not put it into use?
These conditions exist in many areas in the higher levels of the Atacama desert; for example on the surface of the Salar de Atacama, Salar de Gorbea, Salar de Pujsa, the very large plain near to the ALMA project site, the flat plains north and south of Pozo Almonte, the plain area between Salar del Carmen and Calama, etc. All these sites are within reasonable distance from the existing main power transmission lines and certainly within the area where the power shortage is the greatest.
Solar Power technology has been well enough developed at present as can be seen on the projects that are now underway in Arizona, Colorado & Mexico.
Current and proven Thermal Solar technology is to capture the sun's energy with fixed or moveable reflectors to heat salts to a very hot molten state and store these molten salts in large insulated underground facilities with heat exchangers installed to recover the heat to run turbines to generate base load power on demand.
Furthermore, the turbines would be operated with a low boiling point liquid that can be condensed in a closed circuit without the need for water or any discharges to the environment.
I had some interesting experiences with molten salts during my undergraduate years at the University of British Columbia, many of the characteristics of molten salts are favourable to obtaining acceptable energy storage and recovery efficiency.
All of this technology has actually been researched and developed for over fifty years and is now well proven and working today.
The capital cost of Thermal Solar Energy is competitive with fossil fuel plants and the operating cost would be much lower because the cost of collecting, moving and storing the heat is actually quite low.
Why must we bow to using fossil fuels that contaminate our atmosphere?
We have almost exhausted the option of wind power in Chile for lack of economic development of electrical power storage facilities.
Furthermore why consider Nuclear Power when we know that the capital cost is very high, the operating cost is increasing, uranium is not a renewable resource, the price of uranium is variable and rising, and the risk to the public is far greater than most of the engineers have imagined.
I would like to meet with someone that has the power to make a positive decision that it would be in the best interests of Chile and the rest of the world that now is time to think of eliminating all carbon and nuclear power generation where possible.
Meeting with President Piñera or with his Minister Golbourne would be a start but I Do not Have the time or the Means to battle Through the Bureaucratic Jungle events Before I Could Obtain an appointment.
Your comments, advice and / or Collaboration Would Be appreciated.
Paul V. Paul
Albacete
Preminger 4420, D 123,
Las Condes Santiago, Chile
Mobile: 8390 56 9 8488
email: paulpreminger@hotmail.com
Carlos Mu? Oz Parra Doctor Architect 
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