Venezuela’s nuclear energy plan makes US wary

By Patrick Markey

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) – Venezuela’s President Hugo
Chavez is approaching his wary South American neighbors about
developing a nuclear energy program, raising questions in
Washington about his atomic ambitions.

Chavez, a self-described socialist revolutionary fiercely
opposed to the U.S. administration, says he wants to cooperate
with Argentina, Brazil and possibly Iran to develop nuclear
energy as part of his drive for regional integration.

But energy experts estimate it will take his government at
least five years of studies, training and investment to develop
a sustainable nuclear energy project in Venezuela, the world’s
No. 5 oil exporter.

“Nuclear energy is for peaceful purposes. We are not the
ones developing atomic bombs, it’s others who do that. We are
not the ones who launch atomic bombs,” Chavez told a Brazilian
newspaper this week, dismissing fears over his proposal.

Venezuela’s open support for Tehran in its clash with the
United States and Europe over its own nuclear program has left
Washington wondering about the motives behind Chavez’s quest
for atomic energy.

Ties between Venezuela and its main oil client the United
States are already tense. The blunt-speaking ex-army officer
has rattled Washington by allying himself with Cuban leader
Fidel Castro and promoting his leftist ideas overseas.

Venezuela has signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
limiting use of nuclear material and would have to follow
safeguards from UN watchdog the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) before any transfers of technology.

“We expect all countries including Iran, Argentina and
Venezuela to adhere to nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
obligations,” Jan Edmonson, a U.S. State Department
spokesperson said.

Flush with cash from oil revenues, Chavez has pushed to
counter U.S. influence with energy deals with South American
and Caribbean countries and strengthened ties with Iran, Russia
and India to reduce reliance on the United States.

Iran is also interested in oil and aluminum deals with
Caracas and Venezuela was the only country that voted last
month against an IAEA resolution requiring Tehran to be
reported to the Security Council over its nuclear program.

ARGENTINE REACTOR

Chavez’s initial announcement about acquiring nuclear
technology with help from Iran met with wary reactions from
Latin American neighbors worried about how the United States
might view such cooperation.

Brazil and Argentina have the most advanced nuclear
programs in South America. But while Brazil said it was uneasy
about involving Iran, Argentina appears more willing to help
Venezuela and already has experience exporting technology.

Venezuelan officials have given mixed signals about what
they want and initially suggested they could use nuclear energy
to power oil operations. But Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez
said the program is still in its infancy.

“We don’t have any plans to buy a nuclear reactor. We are
just evaluating where we could put one,” he told reporters this
week. “We would use it for electricity generation.”

Ramirez said Venezuela had signed a deal with Argentina to
supply cobalt for cancer treatment.

Nuclear energy experts reckon it could five to ten years
before Venezuela manages to development a nuclear program that
will require heavy investment in technology and also training
and infrastructure to maintain the project.

“There is a big difference from going from chalk board
academy to industrial practice, they will be very dependent on
outside contractors.” said Paul Turinsky, professor of nuclear
engineering at North Carolina State University.

Venezuela had a small research RV1 reactor but that was
closed more than 10 years ago and is now used for food
processing irradiation, medical sterilization and research.

Scientists said a Canadian CANDU reactor used by Argentina
was the most feasible for Venezuela as it would require no
complex fuel enrichment and uses only natural uranium.

But to build a reactor with the average of around 700
megawatts to 1,000 megawatts of power Venezuela would have to
go beyond Argentina and bring in other commercial partners from
the United States, Canada or Europe, experts said.