(Image: ForoNuclear)

Big companies tied to Spain’s nuclear sector have put their names to a manifesto pushing for the continued use of the nation’s nuclear power stations well into the future. As it stands, all of Spain’s reactors are set to close their doors by 2035 under existing plans.

Spain’s seven active nuclear reactors Almaraz I and II, Ascó I and II, Cofrentes, Trillo, and Vandellós II supply roughly 20% of the nation’s electricity. According to the nuclear phase-out strategy set in 2019, four of these plants are slated to cease operations by the close of 2030, with the remaining three following suit by 2035.

A coalition of 32 companies including Empresarios Agrupados-GHESA (EAG), Framatome, GDES, GE Vernova, IDOM, and Westinghouse has issued a manifesto calling for action: “We strongly advocate for opening talks to revisit the 2019 deal on gradually closing nuclear facilities. That decision emerged from a landscape industrial, geopolitical, social, and economic far removed from the challenges we face today.”

The group warns that Spain’s industrial backbone risks losing its edge if nuclear shutdowns begin in 2027, starting with Almaraz, without a solid plan integrating all carbon-neutral energy options. “Our competitiveness shouldn’t suffer from phasing out nuclear power before we’ve lined up reliable alternatives,” they argue.

These firms urge the Spanish government and key decision-makers to update the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan with steps to preserve nuclear power’s role. They emphasize, “This resource deserves acknowledgment as a steady, efficient, and cost-effective low-carbon solution, warranting equal support to attract investment.”

Extending the lifespan of Spain’s nuclear plants, they contend, “would bolster the resilience of our energy system, which faces growing demands, while safeguarding supply stability and the growth of renewable projects. It would also strengthen our strategic autonomy from foreign dependencies.”

Yet, the manifesto highlights a critical hurdle: “For this to work, the financial sustainability of nuclear plants must be secured, particularly by addressing the heavy tax load weighing on the industry.”

The companies point out that Spain’s nuclear facilities have been upgraded and are fit to run for decades more “potentially 60 or even 80 years, aligning with practices seen worldwide.”