COL·LEGI MARE DE DÉU DEL CARME

TITLE: Consequences of a possible nuclear accident in Ascó (Spain)

SPEAKERS: Claudia Asensio, Laia Rubio, Jan Hofland

ABSTRACT:
In 2017, citing Spanish Nuclear Society statistics, nuclear energy was the primary source of electricity in Spain, representing 21.2% of the total electricity production nationwide. Spain has five active nuclear plants with seven reactors: Almaraz I and II, Ascó I and II, Cofrentes, Trillo I, and Vandellós II. Spain has only had 27 nuclear incidents since the first nuclear power plants were built in this country. According to the INES (International Nuclear Event Scale), none of these incidents has ever exceeded a level 3 on a scale of 7. Terrassa is 174 km from the nearest plant, Ascó. For example, the expansive wave from the Chernobyl accident, which was a level 7 incident, encompassed everything within an 1100 km radius, so as such, Terrassa would be completely destroyed in the event of an accident of this magnitude. The first objective of this project is to assess the risk Terrassa would face in the event of a nuclear accident. What could possibly happen to us? What emergency protocols, if any, exist currently? If so, what do these include? Furthermore we will also focus on citizen awareness in the event of a nuclear disaster.