Manuel Ondaro, director of the Garoña dismantling process, announced at the SER that the dismantling works will begin in June 2023 and end in 2033. The process will take place in two phases: first, the pools will be emptied and then the reactor will be dismantled.

Ten years have passed since the Nuclear Safety Council ordered the cessation of Garoña's activity and the closure of the plant on 16 December 2012. However, the nuclear power plant’s activity finally continued until 2018, significantly delaying the closure and the process of dissolution.

In 2020, the Government of Spain and Nuclenor awarded the company Enresa, specialized in the treatment of radioactive waste, the dismantling of the plant and its subsequent ownership. Now, following the submission of mandatory documentation and with the approval of the Nuclear Safety Council, work will begin shortly. The Heritage has ensured that it will be next June: "We look forward to a technical report in March to start the preparation as soon as possible."

Two phases: pool and reactor

The project covers two phases of the process which will last for ten years, i.e. until 2023:

• First phase (3 years): preparatory activities for emptying pools, managing fuel and dismantling turbines.

• Second phase (7 years): segmentation of the reactor container, much more delicate.

And with the waste what?

After final dismantling, 15% of radioactive waste (high and low activity radioactive materials) will be provisionally sealed at the plant itself. According to Ondaro, this can be done "without risk to people and the environment". However, the Ekologistak Martxan group is critical: "This waste cannot be treated, only stored, a responsibility that we must all assume."