Nuclear plant to close

27 July 2004

MADRID – Spain’s nuclear plant at Zorita, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) north east of Madrid, will close at the end of April 2006, a spokesman for operator Union Fenosa said Tuesday.

The third-biggest Spanish electricity producer had initially appealed against a decision by the finance ministry in 2002 to close the plant on April 30 2006, but revealed it had withdrawn the appeal without stating why.
 
In appealing, the firm had insisted that the plant could function safely through to 2008.

Zorita is Spain’s oldest plant. It opened in 1968. It generates about 2 percent of the country’s nuclear-based electricity.

A further six “first-generation” Spanish plants will remain in operation, though Spanish nuclear energy production, at just under one third of overall energy production, remains relatively small compared with neighbouring states such as France.

Environment groups, including Greenpeace, had repeatedly called for the plant to be closed on safety grounds after a several reported breakdowns.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news