Bill to extend the life of Spain's nuclear plants

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would allow nuclear power plants to keep running until their owner decides to shut them down or until the Nuclear Safety Council says they no longer meet safety conditions. The closing dates set as a "final and last renewal" in the licenses of Almaraz, Ascó I and Cofrentes would no longer apply.
2. License extension requests would have to be filed at least fifteen months before the license expires. Also, if there is a serious risk to the security or continuity of the electricity supply, the State Secretariat for Energy could order a plant to keep operating.
3. It would require ENRESAENRESA Public company that manages radioactive waste and the dismantling of nuclear plants. to update the 7th General Radioactive Waste Plan within three months, assuming ten extra years of plant operation beyond the closure protocol. That plan would need a report justifying every expense, which the Government would have to approve within six months.
4. It asks the Government to respect technological neutrality in the next update of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, not to plan the closure of any existing nuclear plant, and to give equal weight to sustainability, competitiveness and supply security.
5. It asks the Government to update the National Energy Security Strategy within six months, especially assessing how a possible nuclear plant closure would affect supply security.
6. It would allow a plant that closed because its license expired to reopen, always with a favorable report from the Nuclear Safety Council. If less than twelve months have passed since the shutdown, the request is processed as a routine extension.

Who it affects

• Companies that own nuclear power plants: They could request extensions as many times as they want and operate beyond the planned closing dates.
• ENRESA: It would have to update the radioactive waste plan within three months and justify every expense in a report.
• The Government: It would be asked to update the PNIECPNIEC National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan: the Government's roadmap to meet energy and climate targets. and the National Energy Security Strategy under technological neutrality criteria.
• Households and businesses that buy electricity: According to the explanatory statement, the goal is to avoid price increases and guarantee supply.
• The Nuclear Safety Council: Its favorable report would be required for extensions and for reopening a closed plant.

Words worth knowing

Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (Nuclear Safety Council)

Public body that oversees the safety of nuclear facilities in Spain.

ENRESA

Public company that manages radioactive waste and the dismantling of nuclear plants.

PNIEC

National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan: the Government's roadmap to meet energy and climate targets.

Neutralidad tecnológica (technological neutrality)

The principle that no energy source is favored over another; all compete on equal terms.

Proposición de ley (bill)

A text through which a parliamentary group proposes a law. It is not an approved law until it goes through Congress and is voted on.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries