Spain Delays Decision on Extending Almaraz Nuclear Plant Operation to 2030

The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) in Spain has postponed the vote on its report assessing the safety conditions required to extend the Almaraz nuclear power plant’s operating licence to 2030. The delay follows a request from the plant’s owners—Iberdrola, Endesa and Naturgy—to keep the reactors running three years longer than the scheduled closures in 2027 and 2028. CSN officials have until the end of August 2027 to issue their final assessment, after which the Ministry for the Ecological Transition will decide on the extension.

If approved, the extension could further lower wholesale electricity prices, since nuclear generation is cheaper than gas‑fired plants, but industry experts warn it would also depress the profitability of renewable energy projects. One analyst remarked, “Hay más alarmismo del que merece el tema. La salvación está en las baterías,” highlighting a shift toward battery‑storage solutions as a longer‑term remedy for the sector’s challenges.