Global warming may aggravate Argentine energy woes

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN0833782620071008

Global warming may aggravate Argentine energy woes

Mon Oct 8, 2007 10:40pm BST

By Hilary Burke

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The effects of global warming could worsen Argentina's energy crunch in the coming years as water levels fall at some dams, and renewable options are costly and scarce, government officials said on Monday.

Less precipitation has been falling in some areas along the Andes mountain range in Argentina, lowering water levels at key hydroelectric plants in the Comahue region of Patagonia, for example.

This phenomenon could continue with average temperatures expected to rise by one degree during the 2020-2040 period, according to a study on climate change that Argentina will submit to the United Nations.

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Argentina's power system is comparatively clean with about 50 percent of electricity coming from hydroelectric plants, 40 percent from combined-cycle plants that run mostly on natural gas, and 8 percent from nuclear reactors.

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