Together they abstain on the PP's extension of nuclear power plants, sparing Sánchez a headache

MadridThursday's votes in the Congress of Deputies were the first to test the relationship between Junts and the PSOE after Carles Puigdemont's party have decided to break ties with the socialists. However, the anticipated clash did not materialize because the laws at stake were part of the list of exceptions drawn up by Junts, which already had a verbal agreement with the Socialists. Thus, the Spanish lower house has given the green light to the Consumer Protection Law, as well as the Sustainable Mobility Law. So, why was there so much anticipation?

The answer lies in the amendments to the Sustainable Mobility Law that the PP had introduced in the Senate thanks to its majority in the upper house. Among these amendments were two particularly thorny ones for the Spanish government: the freezing of Aena airport fees and the attempt to leave the closure of nuclear power plants up in the air. The first has failed.Together they already voted against it in the Senate because they believed it jeopardized investment in El Prat, something Aena had warned about.But the amendment that sought to prevent the closure of nuclear power plants was also derailed. In this latter case, Junts abstained, something they had already done in the Senate, but had they voted in favor, the amendment would have passed. The decision by the Junts members, therefore, provides a lifeline for the Spanish government, which avoids a major headache regarding the nuclear timetable. The question was whether they would vote yes due to pressure from the mayors of the Catalan territories affected by the nuclear plant closures, but also to avoid adding another problem for Pedro Sánchez. Party sources in Madrid indicate that the amendment raised legal doubts and that it is an issue that needs to be carefully addressed. "It's not about giving the PP a blank check," they add. However, they reaffirm that the break with the Socialists is complete. They also did not vote against it because they have always been in favor of reconsidering the closure of nuclear power plants. "It represents 60 percent of Catalonia's energy consumption," Junts spokesperson in Congress, Míriam Nogueras, reminded the media. ERC also breathed life into the government; had they maintained their Senate vote, where they abstained like Junts, instead of voting against it as they did this Wednesday, the amendment would have passed. What impact will the PP's proposal have?

In any case, the impact of the PP's amendment was limited, according to various sources consulted by ARA. The amendment focuses on the ministerial orders that establish a definitive cessation date for the operation of nuclear power plants and seeks to prevent the National Safety Council (CSN) from having to rule on a request for an extension of their operating life, as it must do now. This is a contradictory move to the one the PP itself made in 2012 when it did take the CSN's opinion into account when closing the Garoña plant (Castilla y León). However, even though the ministerial orders introduce a date for the cessation of nuclear activity—in the case of Almaraz (Extremadura) it is already 2027—this does not prevent the companies that own the plants from requesting an extension of their operating life in accordance with regulations. Therefore, it does not prevent the current schedule from being extended.

In fact, in the case of Extremadura Naturgy, Iberdrola and Endesa have done soThe request is already on the Spanish government's desk. "The amendment creates confusion and introduces uncertainty into the procedures," say sources at the Ministry for Ecological Transition. A view shared by parliamentary sources. Ultimately, the amendment does not automatically imply an extension for nuclear power plants because "the right to request an extension is not created by a ministerial order, but by current regulations," the same sources indicate.

The balance with nuclear power

This is not the first time Carles Puigdemont's party has moved in favor of extending the lifespan of nuclear power plants. Last February, Junts, and also ERC, abstained from voting on a PP proposal urging a review of the nuclear power plant closure schedule. Both parties did so under pressure from the mayors of the Camp de Tarragona region. It's worth remembering that in Catalonia, the first nuclear power plant scheduled to close is Ascó I (2030), followed by Ascó II (2032), and finally Vandellòs II (2035). The affected areas have been lobbying for some time to have this reviewed, and this is where the political maneuvering of the parties, even the Socialists themselves, comes into play. The affected regions always fear the potential impact, for example, on employment and the economy.

Extremadura, the first step

But for the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), the closure of nuclear power plants has also become a headache. The Spanish government has always defended the current closure schedule. It has only been open to revising it if the companies that own the nuclear plants did not cross certain red lines. And this is the current situation with Almaraz. After a long back-and-forth, the owners of the Extremadura plant have formally requested a three-year extension of its operating life (until 2030), and they have done so by accepting some of the demands of Pedro Sánchez's government. Beyond the technical issues and the study process that is now beginning, the PSOE faces elections in Extremadura on December 21. There, the areas affected by the plant's closure are also wary of the decision, and in fact, the Socialist candidate for the Extremadura regional government, Miguel Ángel Gallardo, expressed his certainty that the extension will be granted.