ARCHIVED - Nuclear power station at Cofrentes generated nearly 5% of Spanish electric in 2013

Cofrentes is located in the Valencia region

Annual figures published this weekend by Iberdrola, which owns the nuclear power station in Cofrentes, in the province of Valencia, show that the station generated a total of 8,325 million kilowatt hours during 2013. This equates to 14.7% of Spain’s nuclear power and 4.9% of all the “normal electricity” produced in the country during the year.

Cofrentes came into service during 1984 and is licensed to operate until 2021, being located 61km from the city of Valencia as the crow flies, and located alongside the Júcar river from which water for cooling is drawn.
The nuclear power plant was connected to the national grid for 7,801 out of a possible 8,760 hours (325 days out of a total of 365), reaching 87% of maximum production capacity. Production was shut down when the electricity was not required, an example being during Semana Santa when demand dropped.

The yearly summary also reveals that during the year the electricity company invested 62 million euros in the plant, including 21 million on replenishing fuel, and that during this operation 1,345 people were contracted to work there through around a hundred ancillary companies. The other 41 million euros were spent on modernizing all the systems and components of the plant and making various technological adaptations.
There were no unscheduled shutdowns during the last year, reassuring those who constantly highlight that this nuclear power station is just 3km from the inactive Cofrentes volcano.

The Cofrentes power station employs a total of 657 permanent staff, 368 of whom are on the Iberdrola payroll while the other 289 work for companies which supply a variety of services.