The Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) has approved by majority vote the report that allows the Almaraz nuclear power plant to continue operating for three more years, until June 2030. The decision, taken this Thursday with four votes in favor and one abstention, represents a key step in the process initiated by the owning companies—Iberdrola, Endesa, and Naturgy—to postpone the closure of the two reactors, initially scheduled for 2027 and 2028. Now, the ball is in the court of the Ministry for Ecological Transition, which must issue its decision within a maximum of two months.
The CSN's opinion, while not legally binding, certifies that the facility meets the technical and safety requirements to operate until the requested date. The report is based on 29 documents prepared by 16 specialized departments within the agency, which analyzed the aging of structures, the plant's lifecycle management, and the environmental rating of the equipment. A new requirement is that operators guarantee sufficient staffing for safety-related positions during the period 2028-2030.
Political and social reactions
The president of the Extremadura regional government, María Guardiola, celebrated the CSN's endorsement and urged the government to "announce the extension immediately ," asserting that the plant is safe and that its continued operation guarantees the future of thousands of families in Extremadura and the country's energy sovereignty. Similarly, the leader of the Extremadura PSOE, Álvaro Sánchez Cotrina, considered the report a "decisive step" and expressed his confidence that the process would be resolved "without noise or confrontation."
From the platform 'Yes to Almaraz, Yes to the Future,' which brings together more than a hundred organizations, its president, Fernando Sánchez, recalled that the government set three conditions for the extension: approval from the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), a guarantee of supply, and zero cost to the public . "All three have been met," he stated, emphasizing that the electricity companies waived any tax review, so there will be no impact on electricity bills. The CSIF union also supported the continuation, warning that a political decision against it would be "a direct attack on the future of thousands of workers."
Economic and energy impact
A report by the consulting firm PwC, cited in several news articles, estimates that the closure of the Almaraz nuclear power plant in 2025 would have driven up electricity prices by more than €47/MWh on the day-ahead market. This would translate into a 24% increase in bills for households and SMEs, and a 35% increase for industry. In total, the additional cost to the Spanish economy as a whole would have reached €8.800 billion annually. The plant, which supplies more than 7% of the electricity consumed in Spain, equivalent to the needs of 4 million households, invests €50 million annually in maintenance and modernization.
Furthermore, the Almaraz nuclear power plant boasts the highest rating from the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) , achieving Level 1 excellence. Its twin plant in Virginia (USA) has been granted an 80-year operating license, a precedent cited by power companies as proof of the technical reliability of the Extremadura facility.
Tight deadlines and the risk of a forced closure
The timeline is one of the most delicate issues. If the government does not authorize the extension before October 31, 2025 , the electricity companies would be obligated to begin the process of decommissioning reactor I, whose license expires on November 1, 2027. The Nuclear and Radioactive Installations Regulation requires that closure documentation be submitted at least one year in advance, so the government has very little time to make a decision. Sources at the Ministry for Ecological Transition have confirmed that they will study the CSN report along with all the documentation in the file, but have not provided any specific deadlines.
The Nuclear Forum, the industry's employers' association, has warned that renewing contracts with partner companies will become more complicated starting in October , which could jeopardize both the continued operation of the plants and the decommissioning work. For its part, the government has reiterated that its roadmap remains the phased closure of the plants, although President Pedro Sánchez has already warned the electricity companies that any extension must comply with the three red lines mentioned.
The future of nuclear energy in Spain
The decision regarding Almaraz not only affects this plant but also sets the course for Spain's nuclear phase-out plan . If the government authorizes the extension, it will disrupt the timeline of Enresa, the public entity in charge of the decommissioning, which would have to simultaneously close four reactors (Almaraz I and II, Ascó I, and Cofrentes) by 2030. This domino effect, according to industry sources, would force a delay in the entire closure schedule. The Community of Madrid has also expressed its support for the extension, urging the government to "abandon its energy sectarianism" and authorize the extension without further delay.
In short, the CSN's endorsement has cleared up the technical doubts, but the final decision is political. The government has a report on the table certifying the plant's safety, a favorable economic impact, and the support of most social and political stakeholders . However, time is running out, and the clock shows October 31 as the deadline to prevent the closure process from being set in motion automatically. Meanwhile, the 4.000 direct employees and the 1.200 additional workers at each refueling station await a resolution that will define their future and that of an entire region.
