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COMMISSION OPINION

of 14 June 1988

concerning the nuclear power-station Vandellòs II (Spain)

(Only the Spanish text is authentic)

(88/394/Euratom)

The general data concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from Vandellòs II nuclear power-station were provided by the Spanish Government to the Commission, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, by letter received 19 November 1987.

In the course of the meeting of the group of experts set up pursuant to the Treaty, which took place on 14 March 1988 in Brussels, the representatives of the Spanish Government provided further complementary information and details.

On the basis of the data thus obtained and having consulted the group of experts, the Commission drew up the following opinion:

1. The distance from the installation to the closest point on the territory of another member state, France, is approximately 180 kilometres.

2. Liquid and gaseous effluent discharges arising during the normal operation of the station are not liable to give rise to significant exposure of the population of other Member States. The Commission notes that while there are limits on the doses to critical groups from effluent discharges and activity releases are required to be kept as low as reasonably achievable the Spanish authorities have not laid down explicit limits on the amounts of activity which may be discharged during normal operation. The Commission wishes to point out that discharge limits in terms of activity would be more appropriate because the results of discharge monitoring are directly comparable with such limits and thus provide a ready check on compliance with regulatory obligations. The Commission therefore recommends that activity discharge limits be esablished henceforth for the site of Vandellòs.

3. Solid radioactive wastes are to be stored only temporarily on the power-station site prior to transport to a final storage site under state supervision.

Similarly, irradiated fuel elements are to be stored temporarily at the plant site prior to transfer to a reprocessing plant.

4. In the case of an unplanned release of radioactive effluents which could be occasioned by an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the general data, doses liable to be received in other Member States by external irradiation and inhalation will not, according to an evaluation by the experts, be significant from the health point of view. Potential doses via ingestion of contaminated foodstuffs might under unfavourable meteorological conditions be such as to require the introduction of counter measures by the competent authorities concerned. To this end, bilateral agreements concerning the exchange of information in case of nuclear incidents or accidents have been signed by Spain on the one hand and France, Italy and Portugal on the other; a similar agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany is in preparation.

These agreements also allow for other hypothetical accidents, having potentially greater radiological consequences than those presented in the general data, to be taken into account.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from Vandellòs II nuclear power-station is not liable, in normal operation, to result in radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State. In the case of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the general data, doses liable to be received in other Member States by external irradiation and inhalation will not be significant from the health point of view; ingestion of contaminated foodstuffs might however give rise to doses which will require the introduction of counter measures by the competent authorities concerned.

This opinion is addressed to the Kingdom of Spain.

Done at Brussels, 14 June 1988.

For the Commission

Stanley CLINTON DAVIS

Member of the Commission