Unfortunately, the discourse surrounding nuclear energy is often based on half-truths, falsehoods and, at times, ideologies and prejudices. This has been the case and continues to be so, shifting the dialogue to biased ground. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so, as more and more voices are raising the technical discourse and basing it on operational experience and knowledge.
As nuclear professionals, we are clear that the decision on whether Spain will continue to use nuclear energy is political because that is where it will be made. However, we find the supposed confrontation that began to emerge a few months ago and has grown in recent days indefensible. No, that is not the model. That is not the future. Nuclear professionals will continue to defend the necessary continuity of all Spanish nuclear power plants: Almaraz I and II, Ascó I and II, Cofrentes, Vandellós II and Trillo should be permitted to operate beyond their agreed decommissioning dates, beginning with Almaraz I in 2027. The agreed closure schedule must be revised, and the political will to lay the foundations for these plants to continue operating and contribute to the security of our country’s electricity supply must be demonstrated.
Operators and all of us professionals who work in and for them reaffirm our commitment to making safety the cornerstone of our actions and decisions. We are dedicated to reliability, transparency, and accessibility to promote understanding and confidence in our power plants. We will do everything in our power to ensure that long-term operation, which is already a reality in other countries, can also become a reality in Spain.
However, this future extends beyond what is written here. The viability of these plants depends on a stable, reasonable legal and fiscal framework for all Spanish nuclear power plants. The burden they currently bear, coupled with the instability they are subject to, poses an obstacle to their continued operation. We do not want confrontation. For nuclear professionals, the future must encompass all seven operational groups in Spain — our seven treasures. We need and love them all, and we will defend them all equally. The ‘some yes, some no’ approach should not be the focus of the debate. The debate should focus on the need to continue relying on all of Spain’s nuclear power plants, ensuring they can operate under conditions of legal and fiscal stability for many years to come.
Anything else is getting lost in fruitless debates that, in the meantime, cause us to miss deadlines and continue down the absurd path towards closure.
