Nuclear power in Spain

Almaraz

Ascó

Cofrentes

José Cabrera

Santa María de Garoña

Trillo

Vandellòs

Lemoniz

Valdecaballeros

Regodola

Nuclear power plants in Spain (view)
 Active plants
 Canceled plants
 Closed plants

The contribution from nuclear power to Spain's energy portfolio increased until about 1988 and remained near constant from there on. After that its market share declined as demand rose.^[1]

  thermofossil

  hydroelectric

  nuclear

  Other renewables

Currently, Spain has eight nuclear reactors producing 20% of the country’s electricity or 7,448 net megawatts (MWe). Spain imports approximately 2% of its energy from France but exports the same amount to Portugal.^[2]

A nuclear power moratorium was enacted by the socialist government in 1983.^[3] For a time the country had a policy of phasing out nuclear power in favor of renewables.^[4] The oldest unit (at José Cabrera nuclear power plant) was shut down at the end of 2006, 40 years after its construction.^[5] However, in 2009, the operating permit for the Garoña plant was extended to 42 years.^[6] In 2011, the government lifted the 40-year limit on all reactors, allowing owners to apply for license extensions in 10-year increments.^[7]

History

In early 1947, the Commission is created within the National Research Council in order to rule on issues of "Technical Physics of greatest interest to the country. " In the middle of that year, the Naval Attache of the United States Embassy in Spain, won the Laboratory and Workshop on Research Staff of the Navy an extensive collection of American journals specializing in nuclear fission and its civil and military applications. This was the first contact with the outside world, and led to international collaborations. To that end, establishing the Atomic Research Board in the form of study (Irani 1987). His work during the triennium (1948-1950) focuses on two aspects. On the one hand, begin to train abroad the first Spanish experts on nuclear issues. On the other hand, begins the search for uranium to serve as raw material for the development of the first investigations. Studies conducted by the Board, lead by Decree-Law on October 22, 1951 to the Nuclear Energy Board, which aims to provide new knowledge in the process of energy production. In 1963, two significant events occur: the enactment of the Nuclear Energy Act and prior authorization from the Central will be the first Spanish (Almonacid de Zorita, Guadalajara) later known as Jose Cabrera. In June 1965 construction began three years after the plant was synchronized and provided power to the grid for the first time. Three years later it opened in 1971, launched the Santa Maria de Garoña (Burgos), with a capacity of 460MW. In 1972, the network was connected to the Spanish-French central Vandellós (Tarragona) with a capacity of 500MW. The fire occurred in 1989 in this last plant, destroyed part of its facilities. After evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of repair made ​​a year after the fire, led to the decision to withdraw this plant. These three so-called first-generation plants represent a combined capacity of 1220 MW. Following the good results obtained in them, and the growing need for energy, we decided to build seven new groups (four plants) of much greater production capacity, resulting in an additional nuclear power of 6500 MW. At the beginning of 1981 begin producing electricity the first group of Almaraz (Cáceres) with a capacity of 930 MW. In 1983 starts the reactor Asco (Tarragona) with a capacity of 930MW, is operated and the second group with the same power Almaraz. In 1984 he inaugurated the central Cofrentes (Valencia) with a capacity of 975 MW, a year after the network is connected to the second reactor of 930 MW Asco group. In December 1987, enters the central testing period Vandellós II, and finally, in 1989 is put into operation the central TrilloI (Guadalajara) to 1066MW. As shown, nuclear power plants in Spain are located in the northern half. This is because the area is less seismic impact of the peninsula and where the presence of large rivers Tajo and Ebro meet their needs for water used for cooling.

Current situation

Spain has a total of 10 nuclear installations within their mainland, among which are six stations, which are a total of eight nuclear units: Almaraz I and II, Asco I and II, Cofrentes, Santa Maria de Garoña, Trillo, Vandellós I and II. The José Cabrera, better known as Zorita, ceased operations on April 30, 2006. On the other hand, Vandellós I is currently being dismantled. Spain also possesses a nuclear fuel factory in Salamanca (Juzbado) and a storage facility for radioactive waste, low and intermediate level in Córdoba (El Cabril).

Environmental impact

The atmosphere is essential for life on Earth for many reasons, including for its oxygen content. It also contains a large number of other gases and chemicals, some as a result of human activity. It is proven that emissions of certain gases in the atmosphere have a significant and negative impact on the environment. Called greenhouse gases to overheat the earth's surface by the growth of the amount of solar energy is trapped by the atmosphere, due to certain gases whose presence and proportion have been modified by human activity. Among the greenhouse gases most important are: CO2, CH4, NOx, CFC, SF6. Nuclear plants unlike thermal plants do not emit this series of greenhouse gases, however, we can not exclude other contamination. In recent years, governments have become aware of climate change, example is the report by the Intergovernmental Panel (a body belonging to the United Nations): "This is unprecedented warming over the last 10000 years. Much has been observed over the last half century and is attributed to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, mainly CO2, arising from the use of oil, gas and coal." Nuclear power is characterized by producing, in addition to electric power, nuclear waste to be stored in insulated tanks and monitored for a long time. In exchange, does not produce air pollution from the combustion gases that produce the greenhouse effect, or require the use of fossil fuels for operation. However, indirect emissions resulting from its own construction, manufacturing of fuel and the subsequent management of radioactive waste (called management at all treatment processes of waste, including storage) are not negligible. In Spain nuclear plants generated 20% of the electricity needed in 2008.

Nuclear power plants

In 1964, Spain began construction on its first of three nuclear reactors and completed construction in 1968. This became the first commercial nuclear reactor. In the 1970s, Spain began construction on seven second generation reactors, but only completed five. A moratorium was enacted by the socialist government in 1983. Spain stopped the building of new nuclear power plants in 1984.

The first generation of nuclear plants in Spain were all turnkey projects, including the José Cabrera Nuclear Power Plant and the Vandellòs Nuclear Power Plant.

The second generation of plants were domestically built by companies including Empresarios Agrupados, INITEC and ENSA. Five of these were built.

The third generation (not to be confused with Generation III) includes the Trillo-1 and Vandellos-2. All of the other five units of this series were halted in the middle of construction after a moratorium stopping further construction passed in 1994. Capacity of the nuclear fleet has still increased since then due to power uprates.

There are currently no plans for either expansion or accelerated closure of nuclear plants.^[2] A leak of radioactive material from the Asco I nuclear power plant in November 2007 sparked protests^[8]. The country’s government has pledged to shut down its eight nuclear reactors once wind and solar energy become viable alternatives such as in neighouring country Portugal.

Fuel cycle

ENUSA is a company in Spain with various holdings in Uranium mining. A Uranium mine in Saelices el Chico was operated for some time, but is now decommissioned and Spain imports all of its Uranium fuel.

State owned Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos SA was established in 1984 and is the responsible outfit for radioactive waste disposal and decommissioning. There is a temporary dry storage facility at the Trillo Nuclear Power Plant, and research for a long term geological repository won't commence until 2010.

Nuclear waste

Spain currently stores nuclear waste at the reactor sites for ten years with no reprocessing. Plans for future storage include a temporary storage facility in Trillo, until the establishment of a longer-term storage facility.^[2] Funding for nuclear waste management is paid by a tax of 1% on all revenues from nuclear power.

References

1. ^ "International Electricity Generation". U.S. Energy Information Administration, Dept. of Energy (DOE). http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/electricitygeneration.html. Retrieved 2011-02-22. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Nuclear Power in Spain". World Nuclear Association (WNA). 2011-01-20. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf85.html. Retrieved 2011-02-22. 
3. ^ "Spain halts nuclear power". WISE News Communique. 1991-05-24. http://www10.antenna.nl/wise/353/3502.html. Retrieved 2006-05-19. 
4. ^ "Nuclear Europe: Country guide". BBC. 2006-02-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4713398.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-14. 
5. ^ The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2007 p. 29.
6. ^ Radowitz, Bernd (July 2, 2009). "Spain Extends Garona Nuclear Plant Operation 4 Yrs". Dow Jones. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090702-712512.html. Retrieved 2009-07-03. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "No limits for Spanish reactors". World Nuclear News (WNA). 17 February 2011. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP-No_limits_for_Spanish_reactors-1702117.html. Retrieved 2011-02-22. 
8. ^ Martin Roberts (2008-04-08). "Spain nuclear plant leak below legal limit: watchdog". Environmental News Network. http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/34309. Retrieved 2010-01-07. 

See also

• Nuclear power
  • Nuclear energy policy
• Economy of Spain
• Anti-nuclear movement in Spain

External links

• WNA profile: Nuclear Power in Spain