NUCLEAR ENEROY AND THE íENVIRONMENT
SITING STUDIES
Nichokls Chryssafopoulos, Ph. D
Socio Gerente - América Latina
Dames R. Moore - NewYork
INTRODUCTION
There is no doubt that man needs energy in order to satisfy the
many needs and habits he has developed over the thousands of
yea.rs of his existence. Much of the energy needed by man is pro–
vided by natural sources that are dwindling, and much more can
be provided by renewable natural sources that have yet to be de–
veloped.
All of the sources that produce energy for man have an effect,
many times adverse, on the environment. The smaller the adverse
effect, the better off man will be, now and in future gener,aüons.
This paper takes a look at man's energy sources and how they
affcct the cnvironment, and may indicate that nuclear energy is one
of the presently available alternatives with the least adverse impact
on the environment. It ma,y also indicate that the nuclear alterna–
tíve is the energy source for the future, at least the not too distant
future.
The paper also covers the principIes followed in studies conduct–
ed for fue selection of a nuclear power plant site, and how these
principIes will be applied in the siting study for Chile's first nuclear
power planto
ENIERGY AND ITS EFFECT ON DEVELOPMENT
At the beginning (and in some places on earth even today) man
did everything with his bare hands, using tools he fashioned, first
(rom stone and then from meta,l, and carried loads on his, or prefe–
rably his wife's back. Until one day Prometheus stole the fire of
the Gods and gave man energy; Prometheus has been paying for this
