Spain's Garona nuclear power station to close in 2013

 

Spain's National Court on Friday upheld the government's decision to close the Garona nuclear plant in 2013, after rejecting appeals calling either for its immediate closure or an extension to its working life.

The decision by the courts was in response to 11 appeals, including the plant's owners, Endesa and Iberdrola, to allow the plant to remain open until 2019. However, enviromental groups including Greenpeace and Ecologistas en Accion had appealed for the facility to be closed with immediate effect.

The company that operates the plant, Nuclenor SA, has released a statement saying how they are waiting for its lawyers to assess what legal measures it can take to allow the plant to continue operating.

The government performed a full safety review of its 6 nuclear plants in March following the nuclear disaster in Japan following the damage to the facility caused by the eartquake.