Matrices Energéticas De Brasil Y Colombia, Un Enfoque En La Energía Nuclear

Abstract

The configuration of energy matrices is a key factor for security of supply, environmental sustainability, and economic development. In Latin America, Brazil and Colombia have similar natural resources—hydropower, fossil fuels, and unconventional renewables—that would allow for comparable energy trajectories. However, their policies and institutional frameworks have generated different models, especially with regard to the use of nuclear energy, which is present in Brazil but absent in Colombia. This contrast is the focus of the article, whose research question centers on how the energy matrices of both countries are composed and what role nuclear energy plays. The hypothesis is that, despite similar resources, political and economic differences explain the divergences in their energy structures. Analyzing these differences is relevant because the matrix determines the capacity to meet demand safely and the vulnerability to climatic phenomena such as El Niño, which affect hydroelectric systems. In addition, nuclear energy represents a reliable, low-carbon, high-energy-density alternative with strategic importance in the global transition. This article seeks to describe and compare the energy matrices of Brazil and Colombia, highlighting the role of nuclear energy. Specific objectives include conceptualizing the matrix and nuclear energy, detailing the composition of both matrices, and analyzing the role of this source in each country's planning. The methodology is based on a bibliographic and documentary review, supported by reports from international organizations and official entities, with a descriptive and comparative approach.