SPAIN: April 29, 2008


MADRID - A radioactive leak at a Spanish nuclear plant which required the screening of up to 800 people will not sway any decisions on the country's ageing reactors, Energy Secretary Pedro Marin said on Monday.


Spain's nuclear watchdog has criticised management at the 1,000 megawatt Endesa-owned Asco plant for failing to notify it properly of the leak but has said that neither workers nor the public are in danger.

"The statements issued show that it was a minor incident and completely under control by by Nuclear Safety Council (CSN)," Marin told journalists after an International Energy Agency event in Madrid.

"We don't think it should prejudge any future action to be taken on nuclear issues," he added.

European Union nuclear safety experts were due to visit Spain on Monday to review handling of the spillage at Asco, near the northeastern port of Tarragona.

The leak happened in November during refuelling and radioactive particles were found outdoors in March, of which the CSN was not told until April 4.

Asco's manager and nuclear safety director have since been sacked and events like finding radioactive cobalt-60 particles in a lorry carrying scrap metal from the plant have been front-page news. Environmental groups have protested that a school trip to Asco was allowed to go head after the particles were found.

Spain's recently re-elected Socialist government has vowed to phase out the eight remaining nuclear plants amidst an expansion of renewable energy sources, but has yet to say whether it will extend their working lives.

One plant has already been closed and licences for seven others are due to expire between 2009 and 2011, or within the government's mandate.

The 500 MW Garona plant is the first up for renewal and the government will have to rule by July next year on a feasibility and safety report now being drawn up by the CSN.

Marin said the government will publish a long-term energy prospectus this year in which it would recommend a forecast energy mix for 2030.

"We know other sources like renewables have steep learning curves and that will change in the coming years. In that context some conclusions may be taken in the prospectus," he said.

Spain's wind turbines already have a total installed capacity of some 15,000 MW, or double that of the nuclear plants, and can supply up to 28 percent of demand for electricity.

The government expects the total to reach 20,000 MW by 2010.

But wind power is unpredictable and unsteady, and for the year so far has met 13.4 percent of electricty demand, lagging 23 percent provided by nuclear plants.

(Reporting by Martin Roberts; Editing by William Hardy)


Story by Martin Roberts


REUTERS NEWS SERVICE