Spain’s El Cabril storage centre at Sierra Albarrana in Córdoba province received 2,129.30 cubic metres of very low and low and medium activity radioactive waste during 2022. Radioactive waste management agency Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos SA (Enresa) said the wastes arrived in 213 expeditions: 173 from nuclear facilities and 40 from radioactive facilities.
Of the total, 2,108.85 cubic metres came from nuclear facilities and 20.45 cubic metres from radioactive facilities. In terms of classification, 87.31% of the waste received in 2022 was very low activity residues (RBBA) and 12.68 % was low & medium activity residues (RBMA).
The total volume stored as of 31 December 2022 amounted to 59,206.46 cubic metres. Storage platforms for RBMA were at 82.11% of their capacity. In the complementary installation for RBBA, two storage cells of the four authorised have been built, which were at 25.09% and 24.81% of their respective capacities.
Enresa said that during the past year, 1,046 samples of water, air, soil, fauna and vegetation were taken as part of the Environmental Radiological Surveillance Plan. These were analysed in independent laboratories and certified. Thus in 2022, El Cabril had no radiological impact on the environment.
Image: Concrete containers containing radioactive waste at the El Cabril storage centre (courtesy of Enresa)
