• First plant scheduled for shutdown is Almaraz-1 in 2027

• ‘The solution is difficult, but we are not losing hope’

The Spanish government’s plan to close all of the country’s seven nuclear reactors, starting with the closure of four units between 2027 and 2030, remains in place, but Ignacio Araluce, the president of Foro Nuclear, the country’s nuclear power association, told NucNet on 14 February that he would like to see the lives of the existing units extended to at least 50 years of operations.

“We want to extend the existing seven units to 50 years as they all have level 1 WANO [World Association of Nuclear Operators] certification due to their excellent technology, meeting post-Fukushima standards”, he said.

“The existing plants could work for another 30 years without much investment as every unit has been investing €30 million a year,” Araluce added.

This means that “by spending €200 million a year, all seven plants can continue for another 20-30 years and this is the cheapest option for Spain to sustain the country’s energy security, while reducing carbon emissions.”