International insurance inspections of the Spanish NPP

27.28 04.05 February and March 2013 international insurance inspections of nuclear power plants (NPP) were held in Spain. Respectively, the inspections of the following NPP were held:  Cofrentes NPP (Cofrentes NPP) and Trillo NPP (Trillo NPP).

The inspection was carried out by the Commission under the leadership of Mike Peach - Technical Director of the Nuclear Risk Insurers (NRI), as follows:

• Mike Peach, NRI - NSO, TPL (Team leader);

• Eduardo Olmos, Espanuclear - FP;

• Jacqui Walker-Sutton, NRI - Safety Culture (for Cofrentes NPP);

• Mike Shannon, NR - Safety Culture (for Trillo NPP);

• Vladimir Vashchilo, RANI - NSO, TPL (Observer).

On the Cofrentes NPP one power reactor of BWR-6 Mark-III type (boiling water reactor) is being in operation. The reactor was built by General Electric company, with the capacity of 1092 electrical megawatt. The power unit was put into commercial operation in May 1985. The  owner is the Iberdrola company.

One unit of PWR (pressurized water reactor), built by the company KWU-Siemens is in operation at the Trillo NPP with the capacity of 1066 electrical megawatt. The power unit was put into commercial operation in August 1988. The owner of the NPP is the соmpany group Iberdrola (48%), Unión Fenosa (34.5%), Hidroeléctrica del Cantábrico (15.5%), Nuclenor (2%).

The main purpose of the inspection was to assess the risk insured by the Spanish nuclear power plants to accommodate the insurance coverage of the third party liability for nuclear risks. During the meetings with managers and specialists of nuclear power plants there was provided information on the current status and future directions of the activity of these stations, activities to modernize and improve the safety of the units after the events at the Japanese nuclear power plant "Fukushima". Inspectors checked the security of the reactors used in the NPP, have analyzed the control structures and the level of the staff of the stations, fire safety, nuclear fuel management, control of the environment and etc.

Based on the inspection plant managers presented the preliminary results. Final reports on the results of inspections will be available in two months.