Spanish nuclear operator CNAT (Centrales Nucleares Almaraz-Trillo) has received notification a ministerial decree authorising it to operate the single unit Trillo NPP in Guadalajara province until 16 November 2034. The 1,066 MWe pressurised water reactor began commercial operation in August 1988. The authorisation came after the Ministry for Ecological Transition & Demographic Challenge (MITECO) considered a favourable report in July by the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN – Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear).
CNAT said this was a recognition of the work undertaken by the Trillo NPP as well as recent investment to improve security and implement technological modernisation. The authorisation was requested in accordance with the Closing Protocol signed in 2019, which indicated that Trillo would close in 2035.
CNAT noted that the Protocol had stipulated that the tax imposed by decommissioning and waste management company Enresa would be frozen at a ceiling value following an increase of 20%. However, in June this year the tax was increased by another 30% more, which together with other taxes, is economically crippling the Trillo plant.
CNAT said the Trillo plant is a vital infrastructure that guarantees essential services such as the supply of electricity. It generates 3% of the electricity consumed in Spain, equivalent to the consumption of 2m households avoiding the emission of 2.6m tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. The plant spends more than €40m ($42m) on average each year on upgrades. It also supports 1,300 jobs, to which an additional 1,000 workers are added during refuelling outages.
