The representatives of the 16 EU countries that have opted for nuclear energy have identified the four 'pillars' on which the EU's energy policy must be built: safety of sourcing, consumer purchasing power, industrial competitiveness and the fight against global warming.
Spain
Sixteen states talk nuclear power
Tuesday, February 14, 2012Garoña awaits a new decision
Friday, January 6, 2012Spain's new government will ask nuclear regulators for advice on the continued operation of the Garoña nuclear power plant, which was dealt an arbitrarily short operating licence by the previous administration.
Yesterday the Spanish cabinet revoked an order from 2009 that set July 2013 as the latest time that Garoña may be used for power generation. The next step is for the Nuclear Safety Council (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, CSN) to consider the technical possibilities for longer operation and what technical improvements it may require. The Spanish government is expected to order this work imminently.
EU Debates Atomic Safety Checks as Spanish Quake Kills Eight
Saturday, May 14, 2011Planned stress tests on European nuclear plants should focus on threats from natural disasters and exclude potential man-made catastrophes such as a terrorist attack, European atomic industry group Foratom said.
European nuclear officials are to decide today on parameters for the safety checks on atomic power plants in response to the Japanese nuclear crisis caused by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The meeting of the European Commission, the EU regulator, and 27 national nuclear safety authorities comes a day after Spain’s biggest earthquake in 57 years killed eight people.
EU to propose radioactive waste law by year-end
Tuesday, March 9, 2010The European Commission will table a legislative proposal on the treatment of radioactive waste before the end of the year, commission president José Manuel Barroso told a conference on nuclear energy in Paris on Monday.
Energy commissioner Günther Oettinger hinted at legislation on nuclear waste management at a European Parliament hearing in January. He said setting the "highest possible" safety standards for disposal would be a priority. "Further costs cannot be a consideration," he warned.
Spain says has power to spare, can phase out nukes
Wednesday, December 23, 2009MADRID - Spain's top energy official said on Monday the country had enough spare generating capacity to phase out nuclear power stations in the medium term, in line with government policy.
In recent years, Spain has subsidized renewable energy in order to cut its heavy dependence on fuel imports and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is now the world's third-biggest producer of wind power and the second-biggest of solar.
Spain's windfarms set new national record for electricity generation
Friday, November 13, 2009High winds over the weekend supplied 53% of Spain's electricity – equivalent to the power output of 11 nuclear plants
Spain's 1,000 MW Vandellos II nuclear plant halted
Monday, September 28, 2009MADRID, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Spain's 1,000 megawatt Vandellos II nuclear power station halted off schedule early on Thursday after operators detected a hot spot in the main transformer, a statement from the CSN nuclear watchdog said.
The fault was detected at 0000 GMT and plant was disconnected from the grid to allow for repairs.
"It won't happen overnight. It'll take several days," a spokeswoman said at the plant, which is near the northeastern port of Tarragona.
Spain nuclear watchdog to inspect Cofrentes plant
Monday, September 28, 2009MADRID, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Spain's nuclear regulator said on Thursday it will inspect the 1,000 megawatt Iberdrola-owned Cofrentes nuclear power station after part of a fuel rod was dropped during refuelling work.
The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) added in a statement that it had given the event on Tuesday a preliminary rating of 1 on the International Nuclear Events Scale (INES), but that workers, the general population and environment were not at risk.
Spanish nuclear plant appeals 2013 closure
Friday, September 18, 2009MADRID, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Spain's oldest nuclear power station filed an appeal on Monday against a government decision to close the 500-megawatt plant in 2013, operators Nuclenor said on their website.
"Nuclenor considers that there are solid reasons to support the continued operation of the Santa Maria de Garona plant until 2019," a statement on the Nuclenor site said.
Stop-start revival of the nuclear industry
Friday, November 28, 2008Barely a few days before the collapse of Lehman Brothers, EDF finally clinched its multi-billion pound acquisition of British Energy. At about the same time, the French state-controlled electricity group also tried – and failed – to counter veteran investor Warren Buffett’s bid for control of a US electricity utility, Constellation Energy.