01 Overview
On October 19, 1989, a turbine fire at the Vandellós I nuclear power plant in Catalonia caused significant damage and disabled multiple safety systems. Although the reactor itself was not damaged, the loss of so many safety systems simultaneously brought the plant dangerously close to a more serious incident.
02 Cause
A fire in the turbine hall spread rapidly due to oil leaking from the turbine. The fire damaged electrical cables, disabling redundant safety and cooling systems. Fire brigade struggled to control the blaze due to the extent of the electrical damage and fuel load.
03 Impact
No radioactive release occurred. However, multiple safety systems - including emergency core cooling and several shutdown systems - were rendered unavailable simultaneously. The Spanish nuclear regulator noted the plant came within a single system failure of a much more serious accident.
04 Response
The reactor was shut down manually and safely. Spanish emergency services fought the fire for several hours. The nuclear safety authority (CSN) ordered a full review of the plant's safety systems and fire protection measures.
05 Legacy
Following the accident, the plant was found to have such extensive damage and outdated design features that it was permanently closed in 1990 rather than repaired. The accident highlighted fire as a serious nuclear safety hazard and led to sweeping improvements in fire protection across European nuclear plants.