Spain’s Ministry for Ecological Transition on 25 July extended the operating licence for units 1&2 at the Almaraz NPP in Cáceres and also for the Vandellós II plant in Tarragona, in which it will be their last permit before their final closure. Operation of Almaraz I is extended until 1 November 2027 and for unit 2 until 31 October 2028.
The Vandellós II plant is licensed to operate for another 10 years until 26 July 2030, although it could request another short extension until 2035 according to the schedule agreed between the National Radioactive Waste Company (Enresa) and the companies that own the plants. The Almaraz plant is owned by Iberdrola (53%), Endesa (36%) and Naturgy (11%), and Vandellós by Endesa (72%) and Iberdrola (28%). The extensions were authorised following a favourable report from the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN).
The extensions are in line with the protocol of intent that Enresa signed in 2019 with NPP owners agreeing to proceed with the orderly and staggered closure of the Spanish nuclear park between 2027 and 2035. This protocol takes into account the provisions of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030, which the government has submitted to the European Union and, according to which, in 2030 the Spanish electricity system will be supplied 74% with renewable energy.
The authorisations are also consistent with the draft of the VII General Radioactive Waste Plan, presented by Enresa to the Ministry in March which is now being studied so that the phased closure of the plants allows the development of dismantling and waste management according to available human and technical resources.
