Ten years ago, Nicolasa Quintreman was surprised to see energy executives knocking on the door of her modest home, located in the community of Ralco-Lepoy on the banks of Chile’s Bio Bio River. Ever since, Quintreman, a Pehuenche—one of the indigenous peoples of southern Chile—has lead a longshot campaign by 10 Indian families to stop plans for a series of hydro-electric dams on their river lands. Her effort is now entering a critical phase. Spanish-owned Endesa Chile, this country’s largest electric utility, announced last month that it had suspended work on the $568 million Ralco dam, the key piece in the company’s original plan for a network of six dams on the Bio Bio. Endesa has been operating the first... [Log in to read more]