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NewsRescue
Spain has reaffirmed plans to close all of the country’s nuclear reactors by 2035, with the purpose of investing in more renewable energy. The plans have sparked debate, with many claiming that the country will be deprived of a critical source of energy.
According to the outcomes of a Council of Ministers meeting released on Wednesday, the expected expenses of the shutdown and nuclear waste handling are roughly €20.2 million ($22.3 million). The costs will be borne by the owners of nuclear power plants, in accordance with Spain’s ‘polluter pays’ policy.
The fate of Spain’s atomic power plants was among the many bones of contention during the country’s elections in the summer. The conservative opposition People’s Party vowed to reverse any nuclear phaseout. “We cannot unplug 21% of the energy installed in Spain without having another 21% capable of running with renewable energy,” party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said in July, warning that “the price of energy will rise exponentially” if the plans proceed.
Last month, the business group Circulo de Empresarios urged for the preservation of Spain’s nuclear power facilities, arguing that politics and ideology should not have an impact on established energy infrastructure.
Madrid first decided on decommissioning in early 2019, when it was drafting a national energy and climate plan needed by EU regulations.
Spain also unveiled new criteria for the development of green and renewable energy projects on Wednesday. The Council of Ministers agreed to extend deadlines for planned projects, including those in the energy industry, where building permit applications were extended by six months to 49 months.
Government auctions for renewable energy projects like wind power will now include additional criteria that consider “social and environmental value to the European industry.”
