Catalan nuclear power plants, prepared to extend their useful life
Between 90 and 100 million euros per year had to be invested to guarantee its reliability
BarcelonaThe Ascó and Vandellòs nuclear power plants (Tarragona) are "prepared" to extend their operational lifespan, with annual investments of between 90 and 100 million euros to guarantee the reliability of their facilities, and are "waiting to see" if the Catalan government opens this possibility, they stated. "Our three plants – Ascó I and II and Vandellòs II – have undergone regular safety inspections and are in perfect technical condition. We continue to invest around thirty million euros a year in each unit to keep improving," said Paulo Santos, CEO of the Ascó-Vandellòs Nuclear Association (ANAV). Santos, according to EFE, considers it "good news" that the companies owning the Almaraz nuclear power plant in Extremadura (Iberdrola, Endesa, and Naturgy) have asked the Spanish government to postpone its closure for two years, until 2030. "We are waiting to see why. We want all the nuclear power plants in Spain to continue operating and for the Ascó and Vandellòs plants to also be able to operate for more years," said Santos, who did not specify whether Endesa and Iberdrola, owners of the ANAV nuclear plants, will also formally request an extension. The CEO recalled that the North Anna nuclear plant in the United States, a "twin" plant of Ascó and Almaraz, has an 80-year operating license. However, last week, thanks to the abstention of Junts, the plenary session of Congress rejected the amendment that incorporated the PP (People's Party) into the Senate to the Mobility Bill. Sustainable to eliminate the "definitive closure date" for the Almaraz, Ascó I, and Cofrentes nuclear power plants.
Ascó I has an operating license until 2030; Ascó II, until 2032; and Vandellòs II, until 2035. "The extension doesn't depend on us, but what does depend on us, and what we will do until the last day we are allowed, is to operate our three nuclear units in a completely safe manner," Santos pointed out. In this regard, Anavar has carried out a generational renewal process for its workforce, which has an average age of 46: "We have hired young personnel to replace those who have retired," the CEO noted. Thus, they now have 1,914 employees, both direct and external, plus between 1,000 and 1,200 during refueling.
Among ANAV's challenges for 2026 highlights the construction of new individual temporary storage facilities (ATI) for spent fuel. It is projected that the Vandellòs II facility will be operational before April 2027 and the Ascó facility before October 2027.
Tax burden
For his part, Santos lamented the tax burden borne by nuclear power plants. "In five years it has increased by 71 percent," he stated. "Almost 60% of our budget in 2025 is for taxes, and since 2020 we have paid almost 809 million euros in Catalan environmental taxes," he specified. Santos stated that "without this tax burden, energy prices would be more competitive for companies," and pointed out that, in a scenario without nuclear power plants in Catalonia, the Tarragona industrial park would be the one that "would suffer the most."
