THE oldest nuclear waste plant in Spain has been shut down for good after the government agreed to proposals from the opposition based upon years of clamouring by nearby residents and environmental groups.
Based in Santa María de Garoña in the province of Burgos, Castilla y León, the so-called 'nuclear cemetery' has long been a source of concern as residents fear their safety may be threatened if a small-scale version of the Fukushima disaster were to occur.
Electricity boards Iberdrola and Endesa had applied for the nuclear dumping ground to be reopened after it was temporarily shut down in response to public pressure, but energy minister Álvaro Nadal says this request has been denied and the plant will remain closed for good.
The Garoña plant is the oldest of Spain's 'nuclear cemeteries', but even the newer ones have now been in use for longer than recommended.
Another five across the country – in Ascó and Vandellós (Tarragona province, Catalunya), Almaraz (Cáceres province, Extremadura), Trillo (Guadalajara province, Castilla-La Mancha) and Cofrentes (Valencia province) – were built to remain in operation for 40 years, but by the year 2020 will have amply exceeded this.
Other countries, including France and the USA, have been building nuclear plants to last for 60 or even 80 years, but the Spanish government's opposition does not approve of this, despite the PP having already decided to renew the permits for the remaining five plants to operate.
The right-wing government's argument is that Spain's production of solar, thermo-solar, wind and hydraulic energy is not sufficient and does not have the capacity to cover all Spain's electricity needs.
In 2016 alone, Spain's National Grid (REE) needed 265.4 terawatts – or billion watts – to keep everyone hooked up to the mains.
Álvaro Nadal says without nuclear energy as a source of power, electricity bills would go up by 25%.
But the Garoña plant closure is a step forward, and the green association Ecologists in Action has praised the government for 'putting an end to the pointless soap opera' surrounding the plant's continuing to function.
You may also be interested in ...
AN EARTHQUAKE measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale shook the province of Granada in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday) – but failed to wake the neighbours. According to the National Geographical Institute (IGN),...
TEMPERATURES across Spain are significantly lower than usual for the time of year, with not one region having reached 25ºC today (Saturday, June 9), traditionally referred to in the country as 'May 40'. Parts...
NAVARRA has followed the Balearic Islands' example and decided to ban plastic coffee capsules and plastic carrier bags from the year 2020. The land-locked northern region, of which the capital is Pamplona, will also...
NEARLY half the country is on alert today (Tuesday) for torrential rain and storms, which are expected to be particularly heavy in the north and on the east coast. All of Castilla y León, except the province of León...
AN EARTHQUAKE measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale shook the province of Granada in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday) – but failed to wake the neighbours. According to the National Geographical Institute (IGN),...
TEMPERATURES across Spain are significantly lower than usual for the time of year, with not one region having reached 25ºC today (Saturday, June 9), traditionally referred to in the country as 'May 40'. Parts...
NAVARRA has followed the Balearic Islands' example and decided to ban plastic coffee capsules and plastic carrier bags from the year 2020. The land-locked northern region, of which the capital is Pamplona, will also...
NEARLY half the country is on alert today (Tuesday) for torrential rain and storms, which are expected to be particularly heavy in the north and on the east coast. All of Castilla y León, except the province of León...
SIX young adults are facing prison and hefty fines for 'occupying' an uninhabited village in ruins in the province of Guadalajara (Castilla-La Mancha). Deep in the heart of the Sierra Norte nature reserve and...
MORE Mediterranean beaches have been temporarily shut as a precaution after Portuguese Man O'War were found on their shores. In the province of Alicante, Benidorm's Mal Pas and Calpe's L'Arenal beaches...
WARM temperatures that graced Spain this week will vanish overnight again at the weekend, according to the State meteorological agency, AEMET – a total of 11 provinces are on weather alerts for rain and storms. Teruel...
THE EUROPEAN Commission has let Spain off sanctions over air pollution after seeing how it has improved its levels of toxicity in the atmosphere – but the UK, France and Germany are among those who are still facing...
villain Javier Bardem has been out sailing off the shores of Catalunya to collect plastic waste from the sea – partly to help out, and partly to raise awareness of the problem. Bardem, who is married to Almodóvar...
BRITISH tabloid headlines warning of volcanic eruptions in Tenerife – illustrated with a picture of lava spilling from a crater in Hawaii – have annoyed Spanish geologists and tourism industry workers. The front...
The Spanish Met Office (Aemet) has forecast temperatures as high as 30ºC in some areas of Andalusia and Extremadura this weekend, after several days of almost winter weather. The weather will be more stable, except...
ANOTHER Costa Blanca beach has been shut to bathers after a Portuguese Man O'War sighting – this time that of El Campello. Earlier this week, reports of the deadly marine hydrozoan being seen on the beach in Altea...
