IAEA acknowledges the commitment to safety at Almaraz nuclear power plant
A team of experts at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the operator of Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant in Spain shows commitment to the long-term safety of the plant, noting several good practices to share with the global nuclear industry. The team also identified areas for further enhancement.
The Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) concluded at the end of February 2018 an 18-day mission to Almaraz, operated by Centrales Nucleares Almaraz-Trillo (CNAT) and comprising two 1,050-MWe pressurized-water reactors.
The team saw notable achievements made by Almaraz in recent years, such as implementing a comprehensible management system as well as significant equipment renewal plans
OSART missions aim to improve operational safety by objectively assessing safety performance using IAEA's safety standards, and proposing recommendations for improvement. This mission was managed by a 14-member team from ten different countries and three IAEA officials. It covered the following areas: leadership and management for safety, training and qualification, operations, maintenance, technical support, operating experience, radiation protection, chemistry, emergency preparedness and response, accidente management, human, technology and organizational interactions and long-term operation.
OSART leader Peter Tarren reported that "the team saw notable achievements made by Almaraz in recent years, such as implementing a comprehensible management system as well as significant equipment renewal plans, to establish safety as the overriding priority at the plant. We found that people at every level were willing to discuss their work and how they might learn from this OSART mission. They want to keep enhancing the safety and reliability of Almaraz."
