Safety philosophy and licensing practice in different member states of IAEA: Spain

With the aim of presenting the licensing experience in Spain, the countries with nuclear activities are divided into three main groups: exporters, qualified importers and importers, being Spain in the second group. The licensing problems, and therefore the licensing experience, are different in the different groups of countries. Moreover, the experience in Spain is enriched by the following facts: an early start, a substantial program and a diversity of types, pressurized and boiling water reactors, and suppliers, American and German plants. Reference is made to the basic legal documents governing licensing in Spain, together with the difficulties in adopting and applying detailed regulations. Within this framework, the licensing experience in Spain is described with reference to the reference plant concept, later enlarged to include the reference-site reference plant concept, ending in the most practical approach of the reference problem concept. Finally specific licensing problems are introduced with reference to the Spanish operating nuclear power plants, the ones under commissioning and in an advanced state of construction and the ones just staring construction. (orig./RW)