Major electricity companies have agreed a calendar with Enresa, the publicly traded company responsible for radioactive waste, in 2019. phased closure of all nuclear power plants this would lead to the total atomic cut in the country. agreement with Endesa, Iberdrola, Naturgy and EDP It envisions the gradual closure of facilities that will begin in 2027 and end with the final closure in 2035.
In recent months, PP, Vox and Ciudadanos have been pressuring them to review their closing schedule to extend deadlines amid the energy crisis. And more recently, the energy industry itself has begun to participate, both timidly by large corporations—the government is proposing to discuss a review if it deems it necessary—and professional associations of the nuclear industry.
The government is shaking off the pressure and is determined to advocate keeping the agreed closing dates unchanged. And the Ministry of Ecological Transition, in the next revision National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), The roadmap for which technologies will generate electricity by 2030 is unlikely to include a change to the decommissioning program for a nuclear cut.
“The government is not considering a change in the calendar or extending the life of nuclear power plants. The government will continue the agreement between the holding companies and Enresa and this will be seen in the next update of PNIEC.” Sara Aagesen, Minister of State for Energy, At the Congress of Deputies to questions of the People’s Party advocating the extension of the useful life of Spanish reactors. The executive must submit an update of the Plan with more challenging targets to the European Commission for the new version to be approved during this year.
“No interest from electricity companies”
It is emphasized from the government that no company has conveyed a desire to change the deadlines and that postponing the shutdown to respond to emergencies caused by the previous crisis is not a solution. “There is no interest from the companies in extending the service life of the facilities. (…) Companies do not want to increase their nuclear investments, but instead want to invest in renewable energies”, stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The nuclear industry points out that it is not technically impossible for the plants to operate outside of the planned dates, but warns that they can only operate if their economic viability is guaranteed. That is, utilities are not averse to continuing to operate their reactors if profitability is guaranteed by some kind of stable wage or fixed income, as well as less taxes than currently assumed.
Decision, in 2024
The nuclear industry also warns that the time it takes to decide whether to revise the power plant closure schedule is not unlimited and that the decision cannot be delayed if the initial closures are delayed. And a decision needs to be made this year or next year at the latest to delay the first closures, especially Almaraz I in 2027. Thus, nuclear companies are mandating the current Executive (which this year will need to review the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan along with the generation technologies to be used by 2030) or the next Government that emerges from the elections scheduled for 2030. end of the yearNO
From the Nuclear Forum, the employers’ association, the companies that own the power plants, as well as the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), the regulator that oversees the safety of power plants in the country, the investment planning of the previous process and the necessary resources and the work and preparation process for the extension of the operating permit of each nuclear power plant are approximate. requires a period of three years. Therefore, avoiding the first reactor shutdown planned for 2027 requires a decision no later than next year.
CSN, Enresa and the utility companies themselves work with the closure schedule agreed with the Government as a roadmap for operating and planning deadlines. The gradual and gradual shutdown of seven Spanish reactors agreed with the major power companies in 2019, Almaraz I in 2027, Almaraz II in 2028, Ascó I in 2030, Cofrentes in 2030, Ascó II It predicts closure of Vandellós II in 2032 and Vandellós II in 2035. and also Trillo in 2035.