The Stream, June 26: Hydropower Still Large Part of Chile’s Plans for Energy Future

Energy
Chile’s president has reiterated her commitment to boosting the country’s energy supplies, including the addition of 865 megawatts of generation capacity from large-scale hydropower projects in the next four years, Reuters reported. However, the permit for Chile’s largest hydropower project was recently cancelled due to environmental and societal concerns.

In reaction to a large coal ash spill that polluted North Carolina’s Dan River earlier this year, the state government is working to pass a bill eliminating Duke Energy’s 33 coal ash ponds in the state, Reuters reported. The bill passed the state Senate Wednesday, and will need to be approved by the House and signed by the governor.

Mining
The governor of Cajamarca, Peru is being detained in jail pending an investigation into alleged corruption within his government, Bloomberg News reported. The governor, who has opposed the expansion of large gold mining projects in the area based largely on water concerns, will no longer be able to run in a re-election campaign this fall.

Floods
A large winter snowpack coupled with heavy rainstorms caused widespread flooding in Minnesota this week, where 35 counties declared a state of emergency, The New York Times reported. The Mississippi River could reach its sixth highest flood level on record Thursday at an expected 6.2 meters (20.5 feet) in St. Paul.

The World Bank is spending $US 15.5 million on water projects in Lesotho, where it says 75 percent of the population has scarce access to fresh water, Bloomberg News reported. The money will improve water services and hydropower through the Metolong Dam and Water Supply Project and the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek