Spain is aiming to close its nuclear plants by 2035, joining a small number of developed countries pledging a nuclear phaseout as others look to invest further into the energy source.
The government confirmed the plans, Reuters reported, as it introduced energy measures relating to renewable energy. The shutdown of the plants will begin in 2027, and their deconstruction — which is estimated to cost 20.2 billion euros, or $22.4 billion — will be paid for by the plants’ operators, according to government officials.
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Spain’s nuclear fleet consists of seven operating reactors, generating about a fifth of its electricity.
Spain joins other nations, such as Germany and Switzerland, in pledging to move away from nuclear power. Earlier this year, Germany closed down its last three remaining power plants after promising more than a decade ago to phase out nuclear energy.
In 2017, Switzerland voted to leave nuclear power behind but didn’t set a concrete deadline to shut down its remaining plants. Earlier this year, the country planned to keep nuclear power plants in use longer than expected to help supply electricity amid fears of shortages.
Although Spain joins a raft of European countries in issuing its own nuclear phaseout promises, several nations, such as Switzerland, are opting to keep their plants open for longer in anticipation of increasing electricity demand and the current limited capacity provided by renewables. France, Belgium, and Finland are also looking to extend the life of their reactors, while Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovenia have plans to build new plants.
Other countries that had pledged to phase out nuclear power include Denmark, Japan, Scotland, and Sweden, although some countries have reversed course in recent years.
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Simultaneously, several nations are looking to invest further in the advancement of nuclear power, pointing to the energy source as a way to reduce emissions. The United States has invested billions in preserving the country’s existing fleet of nuclear power reactors, along with developing a more efficient and safer design for reactors, otherwise known as small modular reactors.
During this year’s global climate conference, the U.S. joined more than 20 countries in a multilateral commitment to triple global nuclear energy production by 2050, and that includes countries such as Japan and Sweden, which had promised to distance themselves from nuclear power.
