The seventh Spanish nuclear power plant: Trillo I

The site is located in the township of La Alcarria, along the course of the Tajo River, in an area called “Cerrilo Alto” in the municipal term of Trillo, Guadalajara.

How the idea came about

Trillo’s reactor belongs to the third generation of Spanish nuclear power plants. Its design is from the German firm Siemens-KWU. 85% of the investment, which amounted to over 280,000 million pesetas, is originally Spanish. This is the highest percentage ever reached for this type of project. The engineering and national equipment exceeded 80%, with areas as important as civil works and assembly being totally national.

The Trillo I nuclear power plant was conceived as a base site, that is, with uninterrupted operation and a high degree of availability. On May 1^st 1986, the Ministry of Industry approved the start of the new tests, and on 4^th December 1987 the provisional exploitation license was provided. On 23^rd May the site was first connected to the grid, and on 6^th August 1988 commercial exploitation began.

Site Characteristics

The Trillo I Nuclear Power Plant is the most modern of Spain’s nuclear park, with 1,066 MWe installed power. It has a pressurized water reactor with three refrigeration loops with Siemens-KWU German technology. It uses enriched uranium as fuel. Proprietors are the Spanish electric companies Iberdrola, with a participation of 48%, Unión Fenosa (currently Gas Natural Fenosa SDG) WITH 34.5%, Hidroeléctrica del Cantábrico, with 15.5% and Nuclenor with 2%.