Pressure mounts to halt nuclear shutdown in Spain

Spain’s nuclear phase-out, agreed in 2019, will see the country’s five remaining nuclear power plants shut down by 2030 and the focus shifted to renewables. However, with the closure of the Almaraz plant in 2027-28, there is growing pressure to reconsider this decision. The plant generates 7% of the country’s electricity, and many argue that nuclear power is still vital to meet rising energy demand, particularly with the increasing use of electric vehicles and AI-driven data centres. Iberdrola and 30 other companies have called for nuclear plants to be extended, warning of significant economic and social damage if they are closed prematurely. The growing global interest in nuclear power, driven by the energy crisis, is adding fuel to the debate. Countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden and Italy are reconsidering nuclear power, and Spain’s opposition party, the PP, is pushing for the continuation of nuclear power to protect jobs and energy sovereignty. A study by PwC suggests that electricity prices could rise sharply if nuclear reactors are shut down. Experts argue that replacing nuclear power with volatile renewables could disrupt energy supplies unless significant investment is made in alternative generation and infrastructure.