A delegation from Foment del Treball, headed by its president Josep Sánchez Llibre, has conveyed this Tuesday to the European institutions in Brussels the need to review the pace and execution of the energy transition to guarantee the balance between sustainability, security of supply, and economic competitiveness.
The Catalan employers' association considers that decarbonization will only be viable if stable, affordable, and predictable energy is maintained for industry, and has expressly called for the continuity of nuclear energy as a key piece of the electrical system.
Avoid the closure of nuclear power plants
During that meeting in Brussels, the business organization has defended the need to avoid the closure and dismantling of Spanish nuclear power plants, among them Almaraz, Trillo, Cofrentes, Vandellós and Ascó.
According to Foment, these facilities remain fundamental to guarantee energy stability at a time marked by "geopolitical tension and market volatility". Thus, the employers' association maintains that extending the useful life of these plants would allow for strengthening the energy system without compromising European climate objectives.
Economic impact
Likewise, Foment argues that maintaining nuclear generation would have a "clear positive impact" on the Spanish economy.
Among the main benefits highlighted are savings of close to 8 billion euros annually for consumers, avoiding an increase of 23% in the electricity bill for households and SMEs, curbing an increase of up to 35% in industrial energy costs, reducing dependence on gas, and preserving skilled employment and economic activity.
Furthermore, the employers' association calculates that nuclear continuity would avoid the emission of 21 million tons of CO₂ per year and more than 1.3 billion euros in costs associated with additional emissions.
“Decarbonize yes, deindustrialize no”
The president of Foment, Josep Sánchez Llibre, has defended that the ecological transition must advance without compromising productive activity. “We want to decarbonize industry, not deindustrialize the country,” he stated, insisting that nuclear energy remains a necessary tool to ensure climate neutrality without losing competitiveness.
From the employers' association they warn that an accelerated transition without sufficient support can negatively affect industrial investment and hinder reindustrialization.
For this reason, Foment has asked European institutions for greater energy coordination among member states and a regulatory framework that provides greater stability. Among the measures requested are long-term energy contracts, less price volatility, more incentives for industrial investments, strengthening of electrical infrastructures, and the development of renewable gases and cogeneration.
The organization also urges both the central Government and the Generalitat to adopt decisions that guarantee legal and energy security.
Catalonia, especially dependent on nuclear energy
Foment underlines that Catalonia presents an especially sensitive situation, since the three operational nuclear power plants in the territory generate approximately 60% of the electricity consumed in the community, 20% of the average in Spain.
The employers' association considers that the deployment of renewable energies is still insufficient to cover future demand and warns that prematurely dispensing with nuclear energy could compromise supply.
According to the business organization, without this energy source it will be very difficult to achieve the climate neutrality objectives.