Safety challenges in Spain's nuclear industry according to sector experts

Abstract

Safety is a key aspect for the continuity of nuclear energy as one of the most widely used energy options worldwide for producing electricity. However, previous studies have shown that the nuclear industry needs to meet social, technological, normative, environmental, economic, and organizational challenges. Due to this need, this study attempts to understand the challenges that Spain's nuclear industry faces with regard to safety. The study was conducted with 122 experts who responded to the question: “What is the main challenge that Spain's nuclear industry faces in the field of safety?” A discourse analysis was performed to identify the most important challenges and how they are characterized by experts.Findings have shown that Spain's nuclear industry must face multiple and very diverse challenges. The main social challenge is the high concern for the continuity of Spain's nuclear industry, generated in large part by the socio-political context of uncertainty and the lack of social acceptance. Technologically, lifetime extension of the nuclear facilities in operation is the main challenge. The experts do not note other challenges present within the industry, such as ensuring new technological developments or building new nuclear plants. Regarding normative challenges, integrating new requirements within the current regulatory framework and coordinating the extensive and diverse existing regulation are noteworthy. The main economic challenge lies in achieving an efficient economic management system that ensures the nuclear plants' operation and makes them profitable. Organizationally, the main challenges are the generational shift and organizational learning. It is noted that the experts do not indicate other organizational issues that have been involved in important events within Spain's nuclear industry. Finally, the experts do not indicate any environmental challenges related to safety.