118 CHA

The platform that groups the municipalities near the Almaraz nuclear power plant has requested the European Union to intervene to avoid closure of the plant through a formal request to the European Parliament.

Through a letter registered by emergency procedure before the Commission of Petitions and signed by the president of the Association «Yes to Almaraz, yes to the future» and mayor of Belvís de Monroy, Fernando Sánchez Castillathose affected by the planned closure between the late 2027 and 2028 remember that the disconnection of this key installation for the Spanish electrical system violates fundamental principles of European regulations regarding energy transition, supply security and territorial cohesion.

“We request the intervention of the European Parliament to act within the framework of its powers and before the instances that it deems appropriate,” demands the petitioners in the document.

The commission has examined the petition and declared it admissiblesince the matter that the platform raises enters within the areas of action of the European Union. The application will be discussed at the meeting of the request commission that will take place on June 23, 2025 in Brussels.

The platform denounces that the closure of the plant, responsible for 7% of the country’s electricity and 50% of that of Extremadura, contradicts the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 on energy governance.

As stated, the nuclear blackout in Spain moves away from the pretensions of decarbonization, since “it will mean using the resource of the gas plants to compensate for the intermission of the renewables”, which will increase both the emissions of CO₂ and the energy dependence of the country.

“With the closure of nuclear centrals in Spain, the only resource to replace renewable intermission will be imported gas,” warns the text.

The petition also refers to Regulation (EU) 2019/941 on the preparation of states against supply risks in the electricity sector. The document argues that eliminating Almaraz, with more than 2,000 MW firm, generates an electrical “certain risk”, as stated in the definition of article 2 of the European Regulation.

The platform considers that Spain should have prepared Un specific plan before this disconnectionshared with the rest of the European partners, and that the European Commission has the duty to evaluate the closing decision. “The disappearance of firm power as the two groups that make up Almaraz (…) supposes an event that would generate a Electricity crisis risk “hold the document.

Region engine

The letter also underlines the socioeconomic impact of the closure, especially in an already vulnerable region such as the scratch field. “The Almaraz plant is more than 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) regional, in a region that has a GDP per capita less than 75% of the European Union”, Says the letter, recalling that the area is Feder and FSE funds, precisely because of its low level of development.

In addition, it alerts on a possible “devastating and irreversible effect” in terms of employment, depopulation and aging demographic. “The municipalities of their area of ​​influence have a per capita income 12% higher than the Extremaduran average. Its closure would have a devastating impact on our region, accelerating depopulation and aging,” collects the brief.

A study cited in the request estimates that the Net employment loss could exceed 15,000 positions At the national level, in addition to reducing by 207 million euros the gross added value of the Extremadura economy.

Urgent call to the European Commission

In total, the platform requests ten concrete actions from the European Parliament. Among them: verify if the closure complies with community legislation, check if the PNIEC (National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan) Spanish responds to the objectives of the European initiative “Competitiveness compass” and promote a technical and scientific debate on the impact of nuclear disconnection. It also asks to evaluate the fiscal treatment of nuclear energy in the EU and promote support mechanisms for facilities that meet safety standards.

“It is essential to emphasize the urgency for the processing of this request,” concludes the document. “Although the cessation of operation is scheduled for 2027-2028, it is imperative that the decision on its continuity be made in the coming months.”

The letter highlights that the closure was agreed in a context (July 2020) very different from the current one, with a calendar that assumed a development of Storage and electrical networks That, according to the platform, it has not been fulfilled.

“The pniec not only foresees Unreal storage scenariosbut does not take into account the European need to ensure its energy autonomy in the new world context, ”reiterates the letter.

Costs for consumers

The platform not only defends the continuity of this central, but also proposes to open a broader debate in the EU over the future of nuclear in the energy mix. In that sense, remember that more than 20 countries committed themselves to COP28 to triple its nuclear capacity for 2050, and that countries such as France, Sweden or Finland are reinforcing its atomic park.

The petition also relies on technical and economic reports of PWC, which alert on the additional costs for consumers and industry if they dispensed with nuclear without firm alternatives, as well as in social impact studies that project a fall in the active population of 36% in the Almaraz environment.

Central “premium”

Coinciding with this institutional offensive, the Central has received an international support in February 2025: the World Association of Nuclear Operators (Wano) has once again placed in the world’s best performance plant group, after a technical review carried out by more than 25 international experts.

“The installation is in optimal technical conditions and has a motivated and highly qualified template,” said Almaraz-Trillo nuclear power plants in a statement. According to the report, the Extremadura plant “could continue to operate in perfect condition even until 2063”.