The Spanish government has fined the Asco I nuclear plant near Tarragona 15.4 million Euro over a radioactive leak in 2007, press reports said on May 12. 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 Euro, handed to Vandellos II in 2005. The environmental group Greenpeace nevertheless described the fine against Asco I as “ridiculously low.”