Iberdrola and Endesa suggest revising Spain's schedule for phasing out nuclear energy.

Energy companies Iberdrola and Endesa have suggested revisiting Spain's nuclear phase-out timeline, following a significant outage in April that reignited discussions on nuclear power, according to an Energy Ministry spokesperson. Spain's current strategy is to shut down all nuclear reactors by 2035, but some were offline during the April 28 blackout that affected power and telecommunications across the Iberian Peninsula; the causes are still under investigation.

Not all stakeholders in Spain's nuclear sector supported the proposal, as Naturgy and EDP did not sign it. The proposal links the extension to a review of the fiscal policies affecting nuclear energy, with the industry advocating for lower taxes to enhance market competitiveness.

However, it does not align with the conditions set by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for discussions, which include ensuring supply security, safety, and not burdening taxpayers.

According to the existing schedule, the phase-out will begin in 2027 with the shutdown of the first reactor at the Almaraz plant, followed by the second reactor the next year. The companies' proposal would extend the Almaraz plant's operation until 2030.

Iberdrola did not respond immediately, while Endesa, part of Italian firm Enel, declined to comment. A Naturgy representative referred to previous statements by CEO Francisco Reynes, who favored reviewing the timeline and extending the Almaraz reactors' operation. An EDP representative stated they were unaware of any letter, while EDP CEO Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade previously emphasized adhering to Spain's climate and energy plan, which calls for a 2035 phase-out.