Business News
Spanish nuke plant handed highest ever fine over radioactive leak
May 12, 2009, 9:36 GMT
Madrid - The Spanish government has fined the Asco I nuclear plant near Tarragona 15.4 million euros (21 million dollars) over a radioactive leak in 2007, press reports said Tuesday.
The reports said it was the highest ever fine yet imposed on a Spanish nuclear plant, based on an incident in November 2007 when there was a leak of radioactive humidity in a ventilation system during refuelling.
The leak was not believed to have caused personal or environmental damage.
The plant, owned by the Endesa energy company, informed the Council of Nuclear Security (CSN) about the leak only six months later, downplayed its importance and did not take sufficient protection measures, the government said.
The director and protection chief of Asco I were sacked after the incident, which led to hundreds of people undergoing health checks.
Until now, the highest fine handed to a Spanish nuclear plant amounted to 1.6 million euros, handed to Vandellos II in 2005.
The environmental group Greenpeace nevertheless described the fine against Asco I as 'ridiculously low.'
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Business
- 1. US unemployment drops further, but figures disappoint
- 2. Japan stocks down as euro debt outweighs positive US data
- 3. Iraq resumes oil flow after pipeline blast in Turkey
- 4. Spanish bond auction lifts eurozone worries, sinks Japan stocks
- 5. ECB holds rates, rules out early exit from emergency measures
Older Talkback
