The Popular Party is committed to promoting the extension of the service life of Spanish nuclear power plants during the first 100 days of Government if Alberto Núñez Feijóo manages to reach La Moncloa after the general elections on next November 29. The proposal forms part of the electoral program of the conservatives, which will be presented officially this Tuesday and to which La Vanguardia has had access. The document includes eliminating the schedule for the progressive closure of nuclear power plants, initially set between 2027 and 2035, and processing the extension of their activity under the supervision of the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN).
As the newspaper previews, Feijóo intends to modify the energy policy of the current Executive and keep operating the five Spanish nuclear power plants, which have seven reactors and generate approximately one-fifth of the country’s electricity. The measure would affect Almaraz, in Cáceres; Ascó and Vandellós, in Tarragona; Cofrentes, in Valencia, and Trillo, in Guadalajara. The commitment entails one of the main changes proposed by the PP regarding the energy strategy of the Government of Pedro Sánchez, although its implementation would depend on the corresponding administrative procedures and technical safety reports.
The PP will eliminate the closure schedule for nuclear power plants
The electoral program of the Partido Popular establishes that, if it manages to govern, it will begin during its first 100 days the procedures necessary to extend the activity of the five nuclear facilities. The decision would involve reviewing the schedule agreed in 2019 between Enresa, the public company in charge of managing radioactive waste, and the companies that own the power plants.
The document, according to La Vanguardia, expressly includes the elimination of the planned dates for the closure of Almaraz, Ascó, Vandellós, Cofrentes and Trillo, while maintaining as a condition the approval of the regulatory body in the field of nuclear safety.
Currently, Spain has five power plants in operation and seven operating reactors, whose shutdown had been planned in stages. However, that schedule has already undergone a significant modification during the current legislature: in August 2026, the Government of Pedro Sánchez authorized the continuity of the two Almaraz reactors until June 8, 2030, after receiving a favorable report from the Nuclear Safety Council.
The extension of Almaraz moved the shutdowns that were initially scheduled for November 2027 and October 2028. After that decision, the current timetable includes the first disconnections in 2030, with Almaraz, Ascó I and Cofrentes, while Ascó II would be scheduled to cease its activity in 2032 and Vandellós II and Trillo would do so in 2035.
The PP proposal would therefore involve going further than the expansion already granted to Almaraz and reviewing the entire nuclear shutdown calendar. However, starting the processing procedures during the first 100 days of the term of office does not mean that all plants can automatically obtain a new authorization within that period. Legislation requires an individualized evaluation of the facilities and the corresponding reports from the CSN.
Feijóo proposes reviewing the National Energy and Climate Plan
The extension of nuclear activity is part of a broader review of Spanish energy policy. The PP proposes to revise the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), the roadmap that sets out the targets for emissions reduction, the penetration of renewable energies, energy efficiency, and the transformation of the power system.
According to the information published by La Vanguardia, the conservatives consider that the energy transition must be adapted to the evolution of electricity demand, technological availability and the economic conditions of each sector. In this sense, they defend maintaining the decarbonization targets, but they question the timelines which, in their view, may increase costs for consumers and businesses.
The party argues that the closure of nuclear power plants could increase dependence on combined-cycle gas plants if the rollout of renewable energies, storage and electricity grids does not move forward at the necessary pace to replace their production.
For its part, Sánchez’s Government has defended a transition toward a system based mainly on renewable energies, accompanied by storage and reinforcements to electrical infrastructure. The Executive has also conditioned any possible extensions of nuclear activity on compliance with safety requirements and on not implying additional costs for consumers.
The debate focuses on how to guarantee the stability of supply and maintain competitive prices while fossil fuel use is progressively reduced. The continuity of nuclear power plants can provide constant electricity generation and low direct carbon emissions, although it also raises questions related to maintenance costs, waste management, and the impact on energy planning.
The PP promises automatic compensation to those affected by blackouts
The electoral program includes another measure related to supply security: establish automatic compensation for consumers who suffer electricity outages due to system failures, according to information previewed by La Vanguardia.
The proposal aims to make it easier for users affected by blackouts to receive compensation without necessarily having to initiate individual claims procedures. However, the amounts of the compensation, the specific cases that would entitle people to receive it, and the mechanism to determine who would bear its cost have not yet been detailed.
The initiative forms part of a set of actions intended to strengthen the Spanish electricity grid. The popular party also proposes updating the operating rules of the system within a period of six months and approving a national plan to improve its resilience to supply interruptions.
In addition, the PP proposes a crash plan to facilitate access to the electricity grid for new industrial, technological, and residential projects, given the difficulties some investments face in obtaining connection capacity.
The party considers that the growth in demand associated with industrial electrification, data centers, and the construction of new homes requires accelerating the investments and related administrative procedures for the transmission and distribution networks.