Fire shuts down Spanish nuclear plant

subscribe

A fire broke out at a nuclear power station in the northeastern province of Tarragona recently, forcing the plant to close temporarily but posing no threat of a nuclear leak or environmental danger, nuclear regulators said.

The fire broke out at one of the Vandellos II power station's electricity generating units and triggered an emergency shutdown, the Nuclear Safety Council said in a statement.

The fire was extinguished two hours later, and there were no injuries or environmental damage.

Vandellos II is situated on the Mediterranean coast 140 kilometers (87 miles) southeast of Barcelona, and is one of seven Spanish nuclear plants. It is run by Spain-based energy companies Endesa and Iberdrola, S.A.

The fire was the second incident at a Spanish nuclear plant in recent months.

The Asco plant, located along the Ebro River 44 miles (28 kilometers) upstream from the Mediterranean, leaked in November 2007, but operators did not detect it until March. They then waited until April 4 to notify regulators, according to the Nuclear Safety Council.

The council recently proposed a fine of up to €22.5 million (US$33 million) over the leak, saying operators initially downplayed the amount of contamination released.

Spain has seven nuclear power plants. The Socialist government, which has come out against nuclear energy, says it will let them run until their licenses expire, then decommission them.

Related News

B.C. Streamlines Regulatory Process for Clean Energy Projects

B.C. Streamlines Regulatory Process for Clean Energy Projects

VANCOUVER - In a decisive move to bolster clean energy initiatives, the government of British Columbia (B.C.) has announced plans to overhaul the regulatory framework governing renewable energy projects. This initiative aims to expedite the development of wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources, positioning B.C. as a leader in sustainable energy production.

Transitioning Regulatory Authority to the BC Energy Regulator (BCER)

Central to this strategy is the proposed legislation, set to be introduced in spring 2025, which will transfer the permitting and regulatory oversight of renewable energy projects from multiple agencies to the BC Energy Regulator (BCER). This transition…

READ MORE

COVID-19 Response: Electric Power Industry Closely Coordinating With Federal Partners

READ MORE

ev

British Columbia Halts Further Expansion of Self-Driving Vehicles

READ MORE

edmonton electric buses

Edmonton's 1st electric bus hits city streets

READ MORE

denmark wind power

Wind Denmark - summer's autumn weather provides extraordinarily low electricity prices

READ MORE