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Spain nuclear watchdog warns on plant renewals

Thursday, September 4, 2008

VALENCIA, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Spain's nuclear watchdog told plants on Wednesday that renewing their operating permits would depend on how they implemented tighter safety procedures spurred by a rash of unscheduled stoppages.

Among others, the Nuclear Safety Council reviewed safety plans at the 1,000 megawatt Asco I plant, which faces a hefty fine after the regulator asked for government sanctions over the management's handling of a radioactive leak last November.

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Spain's 500 MW Garona nuclear plant back on line

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

MADRID, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Spain's 500-megawatt Garona nuclear power station was reconnected to the grid early on Tuesday after an unscheduled halt on Monday, a spokesman said.

"We were reconnected at 2:15 a.m. (0015 GMT), have stepped up power gradually and are now at 99 percent of capacity, or 467 MW," the spokesman said from the plant, which is near the northern city of Burgos.

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Spain nuclear plants halted, watchdog calls meeting

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

MADRID, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Spain's nuclear watchdog on Monday called for a meeting of plant operators following the second unscheduled disconnection of a reactor in as many days.
The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) confirmed earlier reports by industry sources that the 500-megawatt Garona plant was off line, due to an error in work on high-voltage installations which automatically halted the plant.

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Spanish nuclear plant closed after fire in electrical generator

Monday, August 25, 2008

MADRID (AFP) — A Spanish nuclear power plant shut down after an electrical generator fire Sunday, safety officials said, the latest incident at a reactor that has already been hit with record fines for its safety record.

The incident came just weeks after the government vowed to take action against another nuclear station over a radioactive leak last year.

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Spain government vows firm action on nuclear leak

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's government said on Tuesday it would take firm action against a nuclear plant after the watchdog pressed for charges over its handling of a radioactive leak for which 2,600 people had to be screened.

After a months-long investigation, the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) on Tuesday asked the government to sanction the Asco I plant on four charges of seriously breaching safety regulations arising from a leak in November.

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Spain seeks big fines over leak at nuclear plant

Monday, August 18, 2008

MADRID, Spain: Spain's nuclear watchdog agency proposed a fine of up to €22.5 million (US$33 million) over a leak at a power plant, accusing operators Monday of waiting three weeks to report it and downplaying the amount of contamination released.

The riverside Asco plant experienced a leak in November, but plant operators did not detect it until March and then waited to notify regulators on April 4, according to the Nuclear Safety Council.

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Spain nuclear plant Almaraz likely back by Thursday

Monday, May 26, 2008

MADRID, May 26 (Reuters) - Spain's 1,000-megawatt Almaraz I nuclear power station is likely to be back on line on Wednesday or Thursday after refuelling, management told Reuters on Monday.

A spokeswoman at the plant added that if reconnection began on Tuesday night or Wednesday, the plant would be back at full power by Thursday.

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Spain nuclear watchdog sees more safety after leak

Thursday, April 17, 2008

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Safety controls could be stepped up at Spain's nuclear power stations following a leak at a plant that will require the screening of hundreds of people, a leading nuclear security official said on Wednesday.

Spain's Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) criticized operators at the Asco I plant on Monday for failing to tell it about contamination from a leak which happened last November until April this year.

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Spain nuclear plant leak below legal limit: watchdog

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

MADRID (Reuters) - Radioactivity from a leak detected at Spain's Asco I nuclear power plant during refueling last November was below legal limits, Spain's nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.

The Nuclear Safety Commission sent inspectors to the plant after being told on Friday that a routine inspection had detected radioactive particles on the outside of buildings at Asco I, in the northeast Catalonia region.

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Spain nuclear lobby calls for 13 GW in new plants

Thursday, February 7, 2008

MADRID, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Spain needs to build at least 13,000 megawatts worth of nuclear plants to achieve a feasible power generation mix by 2030, according to a study released by the country's nuclear lobby on Thursday.

Spain's eight existing nuclear power reactors each produce about 1,000 MW of electricity, but new reactors being built in other countries are much bigger.

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