The European Energy Commissioner, the Danish socialist Dan Jorgensen, implicitly invites reflection on the Spanish nuclear schedule, which is faster than in other European countries, by emphasizing the importance of supply security.
In a written response in the European Parliament accessed by this newspaper, Jorgensen admits that he cannot interfere in the Spanish Government's decision to promote the closure of Almaraz and other plants starting at the end of this decade, but stresses the importance of not doing anything that harms the supply. When asked by the PP MEP, Elena Nevado del Campo, whether the Spanish nuclear closure is consistent with Brussels' calls to improve European industrial competitiveness, Jorgensen responds: "The Commission does not intervene in such decisions, although it recognizes that ensuring clean and affordable energy supply is key for European competitiveness, security, and the EU's future climate neutrality."
His unusual clarification in Brussels communications on this energy source coincides with the fact that a vast majority of experts believe that, as long as renewable energies are intermittent and non-storable, the industry needs a secure supply that only nuclear energy or gas plants can provide.
For Jorgensen, "Spain has confirmed its intention to progressively eliminate nuclear energy by 2035 in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan recently presented." And "the choice of energy resources in the energy mix, including the decision to use nuclear energy or not, remains the competence of each Member State in accordance with EU legislation." Therefore, in his view, the European Commission cannot interfere with the government's stance, which was precisely set by a colleague in Brussels, the Commission's Vice President, Teresa Ribera. However, in his written response, the Danish Commissioner points out that "the Commission's goal is to ensure that the transition to a decarbonized economy is conducive to competitiveness and technologically neutral, while the shift to cleaner and more cost-effective energy sources should reduce energy costs and price volatility." The Commission includes nuclear energy among non-polluting sources.
Jorgensen, who was skeptical about nuclear energy during his time as a minister in his country, has redirected his position as a commissioner and, as he has stated on other occasions, does not view next-generation nuclear reactors unfavorably. In any case, his response to Elena Nevado Del Campo, who was the mayor of Cáceres, is made "on behalf of the European Commission" as is customary in these written procedures. Ribera's current official position is also that Member States are sovereign in deciding which energy sources to rely on.
The international environment is increasingly pro-nuclear, and the president of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, is intensifying pressure on the government to reconsider. "The Spanish will pay. If nuclear plants close, we have studies showing that electricity prices will rise by 25% to 30%," Galán declared this Thursday in the Financial Times.
A PwC study estimates a ¤37 increase per megawatt-hour if nuclear dismantling occurs in Spain. The impact would range from around 25% for domestic consumers to 35% for industry. It believes it would accentuate the risk of blackouts and increase dependence on gas, which Spain needs to import.
"Even if the objectives of the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan are met, nuclear closure will lead to a future electricity price increase of ¤13 per megawatt-hour, in addition to a six-fold increase in CO2 emissions and natural gas consumption, jeopardizing climate goals and diminishing the country's energy sovereignty, which will increase its electricity imports by 58%," states the study by this consultancy. It highlights that with the abandonment of nuclear plants, "electricity supply would be compromised in situations of high demand and low renewable production, as has already happened in the past."
Galán attended a major energy event in Houston (USA) last week and met with the country's Secretary of State, Chris Wright. According to the Iberdrola president, Europeans should be less dogmatic compared to the openly pro-nuclear Trump Administration. "Are we Europeans in a position to give up energy sources just for ideology? Or should we be as pragmatic as the Americans?" he told the British newspaper. In Galán's opinion, Spain should not repeat what he calls the "big mistake" of Germany in ordering closures during Angela Merkel's government, a decision that her successor, Friedrich Merz, wants to review.
However, Galán has not formally requested to extend the lifespan of the Almaraz plant, in which his company is the largest shareholder. The Third Vice President, Sara Aagesen, states that, despite public statements, she has not yet received any request to delay the closure. The Nuclear Forum, the business association to which the country's major electric companies belong, argues that Aagesen must first repeal the ministerial closure order for a postponement request to be viable.
On the other hand, the President of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), Antonio Garamendi, defended on Thursday that nuclear energy is "safe," "efficient," and "clean," advocating for a "great pact" for nuclear energy between the government and administrations, according to Europa Press.