Madrid (Platts)--20Jan2012/639 am EST/1139 GMT

Spain's government has started the legal process to reverse the decision of the country's previous government to close the Santa Maria de Garona nuclear power plant, the country's nuclear commission said late Thursday.

The Industry Ministry sent a written request asking if a 2009 ruling which orders the closure of the country's oldest nuclear reactor could be modified, the Comision de Seguridad Nuclear said in a note.

The operator of the 466 MW Santa Maria de Garona plant, Nuclenor, which is owned half and half by utilities Endesa and Iberdrola was notified in July by the previous government that the plant would have to be closed in 2013. The new Mariano Rajoy-led government has stated earlier this year that it will seek to overturn that ruling.

The Industry Ministry has asked the CSN to detail any other conditions or recommendations which it might apply, but that it would seek to extend the operating license until 2019.

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Garona's license was only extended by four years in 2009, despite recommendations from the nuclear safety watchdog that a 10-year extension would be viable. The 42-year old plant is the oldest one in Spain and was built during the rule of dictator Francisco Franco.

Campaigners to keep the plant open have pointed out that the reactor has the best safety record compared with the other seven reactors currently in operation in the country and ranks very highly among other reactors worldwide.

Earlier this week, the new industry minister, Manuel Soria, said he would continue to consider nuclear power as key in the generation mix in Spain.

--Luca Baratti, newsdesk@platts.com

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