Energy supply and nuclear power in Spain

In a relatively short period of time Spain has developed from a mainly agrarian country to a country dominated by industry and services. The rapidly rising primary energy consumption this entailed, which more than tripled in the period between 1960 and 1975, is mainly due to oil consumption, the level of which increased almost eight times in the same period, which now amounts to two thirds of the primary energy consumption and has resulted in a dependence on imports amounting to almost 75% in the primary energy sources. The only possibility to reduce this dependence on imports lies in the increased use of domestic coal and of nuclear power, which latter aspect is supported by domestic uranium reserves. The use of coal has remained more or less constant at a level of approx. 15% of primary energy over the past twenty years. Hence, the only realistic way of reducing the dependence on oil is the expansion of nuclear power. Nuclear power, which contributed 2% to the primary energy consumption and 8% to the electricity generation in 1977, is to meet almost 15% of the primary energy requirement and 35% of the electricity requirement by 1987. The contribution outlines the development of the nuclear generating capacity of Spanish nuclear industry, its structure and its relations as well as the activities pursued in the sector of the fuel cycle, from the uranium reserves through the supply of separative work up to waste management. (orig.)