News Archive Article

Spain seeks big fines over nuclear plant leak

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 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.

The agency said the risk to humans and the environment was minimal, but that the plant's operators had nonetheless violated monitoring and incident-reporting rules.

It also said Asco, owned by utility Endesa, had grossly underreported the amount of contamination released.

The agency proposed six sanctions against the plant, which is located on the Ebro River, 44 miles (28 kilometers) upstream from the Mediterranean.

It is up to the Industry Ministry will decide whether to fine the company, and if so how much. The punishment could total €22.5 million (US$33 million).

In April, the council upgraded its classification of the leak from Level 1, the lowest on a scale of one to seven, to Level 2.

Spain has seven nuclear power plants operating. The Socialist government says it will let them run until their licenses expire, then decommission them.

Related News

Las Pailas plant, Costa Rica

Costa Rica hits record electricity generation from 99% renewable sources

COSTA RICA - During the whole month of May 2019, Costa Rica generated a total of 984.19 gigawatt hours of electricity, the highest in the country’s history. What makes this feat even more impressive is the fact that 99.99% of this energy came from renewable sources – hydropower, wind, biomass, solar, and geothermal.

With such a high generation rate, the state power company Instituto Costariccense de Electricidad (ICE) were able to suspend energy imports from the first week of May and shifted to exports. To date, the power company continues to sell electricity to the Regional Electricity Market (REM) which generates…

READ MORE
Renewables Surpass Coal in India's Energy Capacity Shift

Renewables Surpass Coal in India's Energy Capacity Shift

READ MORE

wind turbines

Cancelling Ontario's wind project could cost over $100M, company warns

READ MORE

undersea cable

Fish boom prompts energy conglomerate to spend $14.5M to bury subsea cables

READ MORE

byron_unit_2_nuclear

Hitachi freezes British nuclear project, books $2.8bn hit

READ MORE