Safety is a fundamental principle for the nuclear industry as a whole. For this reason, ANAV works hard every day to minimise the risks in all aspects of its operations.
ANAV conducts a demanding internal inspection programme on its nuclear power plants with a focus on continuous improvement. Its objective is to adapt the technology and procedures to the best international practices available.
To this end, ANAV also receives the supervision and judgement of independent organisations that assess all safety-related matters. This line of work includes voluntary inspections, such as the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Peer Review programme; or the assessments undertaken by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), such as the SALTO Mission, focused on safe long-term operation of nuclear power plants.
The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) periodically conducts peer review missions to the plants operated by ANAV with the aim of comparing them to the highest nuclear industry standards.
Safety is a pivotal and core concept in the nuclear culture. It includes aspects related to facility safety, but also to personnel radiological protection, industrial safety, environmental safety, cybersecurity and security.
The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), as a public body and independent administrative authority, supervises and guarantees that the operation of the Spanish nuclear power plants complies with safety criteria.
The CSN has resident inspectors at the nuclear facilities and maintains permanent communication with the plant operators. As well as inspecting and monitoring the plant performance in the field, the CSN also issues reports to authorise the facilities and controls the personnel radiological protection, among other duties.
A les centrals nuclears el vapor d’aigua és clau per generar energia. T’expliquem tot el procés i què és allò que surt de la torre… de refrigeració.
As important as the internal and independent inspections, assessments and supervisions are the safety training and practical exercises provided to the workers. ANAV fosters self-discipline and a critical eye as a shared responsibility of all nuclear professionals.
To this end, the staff invests an important part of the working hours to training on industrial safety, as well as to prepare to respond to different types of emergencies and accidents.
In this line, the Ascó and Vandellós II nuclear power plants simulate serious accident scenarios and test the response capability of the In-house Emergency Plans. These drills involve both ANAV’s utility personnel and that of organisations that would be activated if needed.
Nuclear power plant management combines three safety dimensions:
These are the set of control and protection systems that guarantee the safe operation of the plants since their design. Particularly relevant are the control rods that are inserted into the core in order to shut down the reactor. Another very important system is the engineered safety features and the cooling equipment, which maintain the reactor at a constant temperature during operation and at shutdown.
The elements known as safety barriers are three sequential shields that prevent radioactive material from being released to the outside. The first barrier is the cladding that contains the fuel; the second barrier is the actual reactor vessel; and the third barrier is the containment building, a very thick reinforced concrete structure, internally lined in steel.
Integrated safety must be taken into account in all activities that take place at the plant within the operation, maintenance, inspection or surveillance of the facility: procedures, technical specifications, radiological protection, personnel training… For this reason, Safety Culture, Quality Assurance, Self-assessment, Operating Experience and Continuous Improvement programmes are employed to manage Ascó and Vandellós II.
The Ascó and Vandellós II sites comply with the requirements of the Spanish regulations and of international standards, which means the plants are internationally certified. Furthermore, as a requirement of the Operating Permit granted by the Ministry for Industry, Energy and Tourism (after a report by the Nuclear Safety Council), both plants must analyse the applicability of any new regulations that may come into force after the commissioning of the plants. All these regulations respond to international criteria, endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a body that reports to the United Nations. Strict compliance with the regulations is verified by the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), an independent body that reports to the Spanish Parliament. The plants exchange information with them and the CSN carries out inspections using their own personnel located at the facilities.
These are the set of control and protection systems that guarantee the safe operation of the plants since their design. Particularly relevant are the control rods that are inserted into the core in order to shut down the reactor. Another very important system is the engineered safety features and the cooling equipment, which maintain the reactor at a constant temperature during operation and at shutdown.
The elements known as safety barriers are three sequential shields that prevent radioactive products from being released to the outside. The first barrier is the cladding that houses the fuel; the second barrier is the actual reactor vessel; and the third barrier is the containment building, a very thick reinforced concrete structure, internally lined in steel.
Integrated safety must be taken into account in all activities that take place at the plant within the operation, maintenance, inspection or surveillance of the facility: procedures, technical specifications, radiological protection, personnel training… For this reason, Safety Culture, Quality Assurance, Self-assessment, Operating Experience and Continuous Improvement programmes are employed in managing Ascó and Vandellós II.
The Ascó and Vandellós II sites comply with the requirements of the Spanish regulations and of international standards, which means the plants are internationally certified. Furthermore, according to a requirement of the Operating Permit granted by the Ministry for Industry, Energy and Tourism (after a report by the Nuclear Safety Council), both plants must analyse the applicability of any new regulations that may appear after the commissioning of the plants. All these regulations respond to international criteria, endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a body that reports to the United Nations. Strict compliance with the regulations is verified by the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), an independent body that reports to the Spanish Parliament. The plants exchange information with them and the CSN carries out inspections using their own personnel located at the facilities.
The Military Emergency Unit (UME) is a specialist Army Corps that periodically participates in drills, such as the one that took place at the Vandellós II nuclear power plant.
