The third vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, closed the doors to a change in the closure schedule of nuclear power plants. “There is an agreement with the companies and Enresa,” he stated at the Spain Investors Day.
The vice president made this emphatic statement at the same time that the nuclear industry claims the failure of the Government to comply with said agreement and a report prepared by PwC in which alert of the risk of blackouts in Madrid, Catalonia and Valencia if these plants are dispensed with.
“The electrical system needs to have stable base sources and constant production such as nuclear, which provides stability, robustness and firm power to the system, regardless of external conditions,” said the president of the Nuclear Forum, Ignacio Araluce.
nuclear wave
For the representative of this sector, “the world is clear and governments of very different types are committed to nuclear energy with the continuity of their reactors and the construction of new units. The majority of countries with nuclear power plants similar to the Spanish ones have decided its long-term operation as it is the optimal solution both from the point of view of supply guarantee and economic competitiveness and environmental challenges. However, in Spain, where the contribution of nuclear energy is very relevant, it is. has decided to abandon it completely,” recalls Ignacio Araluce.
For the head of the Nuclear Forum, “different technical and economic analyzes show that Spain needs its nuclear power plants to operate beyond the established deadlines. The nuclear sector and its professionals are prepared to operate them in the long term since they are very valuable assets. “not only for the electrical system and the reduction of emissions, but essential in the environments by generating wealth and stable, quality employment.” In any case, the continuity of the operation of the Spanish nuclear power plants will have to be inexorably linked to the reduction of the tax burden they bear, which has increased, as this newspaper already indicated last Friday, by more than 70%. in the last five years, taking it to economically unsustainable levels.
For Foro Nuclear, the solution is simple since an extension of the life of the plants could facilitate a reduction in taxes and return them to the profitability necessary to avoid their closure. This measure would also allow Spain to save nearly 40,000 million in investment in renewable generation in order to be able to provide an amount of energy similar to that of renewables.
Araluce also explained that nuclear power plants also facilitate an improvement in the stability of the network, since they provide the synchronous energy necessary for optimal operation.
The Nuclear Forum indicated that it has not yet met with the new Minister for the Ecological Transition, but has stressed that they would like to have a dialogue with the Ministry. “Talking is good,” he insisted. However, he explained that he did not know if his associates (Endesa, Iberdrola or the nuclear industry) have maintained contacts with the Executive to study the situation.
On the other hand, the minister denied yesterday that the tax on energy companies, whose continuity is still in doubt, is hindering investments.
Tax
“Basically, this tax also encourages these investments in Spain; it also seeks to reduce the impact by ensuring that these companies continue to invest in our country,” said the vice president.
#Government #close #nuclear #plants #risk #blackouts #industry #warns
