The José Cabrera nuclear power plant is located in the municipality of Almonacid de Zorita, in Guadalajara, and it was the first nuclear power plant to begin operation in Spain, in 1968. After 38 years of operation, it was shut down by Ministerial Order on 20 April 2006. This entailed the first full dismantling of a nuclear power plant in Spain.
Timeline
Preliminary Activities
The pre-dismantling activities, carried out between 2006 and 2009 under the responsibility of the facility’s operator, consisted mainly of the management of spent fuel and the conditioning of operational waste.
After the completion of the pre-dismantling activities and the corresponding ministerial authorisation of 11 February 2010, ownership of the José Cabrera nuclear power plant was transferred to Enresa for the implementation of the Dismantling and Decommissioning Plan.
Dismantling and Decommissioning Plan
Since its shutdown in 2006, Enresa began to draft the regulatory documentation for the Dismantling and Decommissioning Plan for the José Cabrera Nuclear Power Plant. The activities to be carried out during the project and their specifics were devised in parallel.
Enresa envisages dismantling projects as an industrial process aimed at the complete release of the site and the proper management of the resulting materials.
The tasks include: the removal of conventional elements; the disassembly of radiological components; decontamination and demolition of buildings; and environmental restoration of the site.
The Dismantling and Decommissioning Plan for the José Cabrera Nuclear Power Plant prioritises the safety of the workers involved and the protection of the general public and the environment.
All activities are subject to rigorous planning and strict controls, taking into account both the occupational risks common to any conventional industry and those which are radiation-specific.
Preparatory Activities
During the initial stage, between 2010 and 2011, it was necessary to adapt some of the plant’s systems and auxiliary facilities to make them available and functional for the activities involved in dismantling.
One of the most important actions was the disassembly of the original equipment and the subsequent transformation of the turbine building into the new Auxiliary Building for Dismantling, for the treatment and temporary storage of waste from the containment building.
Various actions were carried out to reduce risks and prevent interruption in the course of future work.
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Dismantling of Conventional Components
The plant’s conventional buildings and facilities were dismantled, since they were no longer required. To date, the elements and components from the following areas have been dismantled:
- Diesel building
- Cooling towers
- Electrical building and former control room
- Electrical transformer area
Dismantling of Radiological Components
Igualmente se ha procedido a desmontar in situ el resto de grandes componentes del circuito primario (generador de vapor, bomba principal y presionador ). En paralelo se han retirado los equipos y sistemas radiológicos en desuso de los diferentes locales de los edificios de Contención y Auxiliar.
Decontamination and Demolition of Buildings
Management of Materials
Site Restoration
In order to restore the site to its initial state, the Restoration Plan will ensure that the land to be released is free of residual radioactivity. During this final phase, site clean-up and final characterisation will be carried out before application is made for the declaration of decommissioning, with the aim of returning the site to its owner.
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