Licence renewal approved for Spanish fuel plant

03 June 2016

Spain's nuclear regulator has approved the renewal for a further ten years of the operating licence for Enusa's Juzbado nuclear fuel fabrication plant in Salamanca.

Juzbado fuel plant - 460 (Enusa)
The Juzbado fuel plant (Image: Enusa)

At a plenary session on 1 June, the Nuclear Safety Council (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, CSN) issued a favourable decision on the renewal of the plant's operating and manufacturing permits, which were due to expire next month.

Enusa applied to the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism for a ten-year extension of its operating licence. The ministry referred the application to the CSN in July 2015.

According to Enusa, in its review of the application the CSN assessed various aspects associated with the plant's periodic safety review and the facilities' compliance with a number of conditions and orders imposed when and since the last permit was granted.

In addition to the operating licence, the CSN has also approved the renewal of the Juzbado plant's physical protection permit and a revision of its physical protection plan.

The Juzbado plant, commissioned in 1985, produces boiling water reactor and pressurized water reactor fuel elements for Spain's reactors and also supplies other customers in Europe.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News