Ten more years for Trillo

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

The operating licence of the single-unit Trillo nuclear power plant in central Spain has been renewed for a further ten years following governmental approval.

Trillo (Image: CSN)

The owners of the plant applied in November 2013 for a ten-year licence renewal of the Trillo plant - a 1066 MWe pressurized water reactor that began commercial operation in August 1988. Its current operating licence was due to expire on 16 November.

The Ministry of Industry announced in the 11 November issue of the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado) that it had approved the licence extension. The approval followed the submission of a report by the Spanish nuclear safety regulator - the Nuclear Safety Council, (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, CSN) - to the ministry on 8 October approving the plant's continued operation.

In reaching its decision, the CSN compiled 35 'specialized reports' on the status of the plant. The regulator found that the Trillo plant has been functioning properly, adequate security has been maintained and the changes made or planned at the plant exceed regulatory requirements, including safety improvements as a result of post-Fukushima stress tests.

With the extension, Trillo can now operate until 17 November 2024. The ministry noted, "With a minimum of three years prior to the expiration of this operating permit, the owner may apply to the Ministry of Industry for a new authorization under the provisions of the law."

The period of operation of Spanish nuclear power units does not have a fixed deadline. Operating licences are renewed periodically after evaluation by the CSN and approval by the industry ministry.

The Trillo plant, in Spain's Guadalajara province, is operated by Centrales Nucleares Almaraz-Trillo. Ownership of the plant is shared between the companies Iberdrola (48%), Unión Fenosa (34.5%), Hidroeléctrica del Cantábrico (15.5%) and Nuclenor (2%).

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News