Nuclear regulatory authority
The National Regulatory Authority, created by Decree-Law 108/2018 of 3 December 2018, is composed by the Competent Authority, the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), and the Inspective Authority, the General Inspection of Agriculture, Sea, Environment and Spatial Planning (IGAMAOT), both supervised by the Ministry of Environment. Both APA and IGAMAOT are functionally separate from any other body or organisation concerned with the promotion or utilisation of practices, ensuring effective independence from undue influence on their regulatory functions. APA represents Portugal at ENSREG, OECD, NEA, and IAEA.
Nuclear activities
Portugal has one research reactor, without nuclear fuel since early 2019, and currently in transition for decommissioning. There is currently no nuclear or spent fuel in the country, and nuclear energy activities are not planned in the near future.
Other activities: Medical applications (radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine), as well as use of radiation sources in industrial, R&D and education activities.
Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management
Portugal has no spent fuel. In March 2019, the core of the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI) has been shipped to the USA under the framework of the 'United States Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Program'.
Liquid effluents produced in the RPI, as well as effluents of medical applications, are either locally stored by the operators and later on discharged or discharged immediately (depending on the foreseen activity concentration) according to the defined discharge limits.
Solid radioactive waste and disused sealed sources are centrally stored in a national radioactive waste facility, located in the same site as the RPI.
Main legal instruments
- Decree-Law 108/2018 of 3 December 2018, which transposes the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom and creates the new national regulatory authority
- Decree-Law 227/2008 of 25 November 2008, regarding the professional qualification in radiation protection
- Decree-Law 156/2013 of 5 November 2013, which transposes the Council Directive 2011/70/Euratom, regarding the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste
- Decree-Law 30/2012 of 9 February 2012, which transposes the Council Directive 2009/71/Euratom, as amended by Decree-Law 135/2017 of 20 October 2017, which transposes the Council Directive 2014/87/Euratom, regarding the safety on nuclear installations
- Decree-Law 262/2012 of 17 December, which transposes the Council Directive 2009/71/Euratom, as amended by Decree-Law 135/2017 of 20 October 2017, which transposes the Council Directive 2014/87/Euratom, establishing the obligations for the operators of nuclear installations
- Decree-Law 198/2009 of 26 August 2009, which transposes EU Council Directive 2006/117/Euratom of 20 November 2006, regarding the transfer of radioactive waste and spent fuel
Last updated in August 2020
