Spain Lifts 40-Year Limit on Nuclear Power Plants

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Spain has voted to lift its existing 40-year lifetime limit on nuclear power plants, reversing a plan to gradually phase out nuclear power by 2018. The government's decision to extend the life of its eight nuclear reactors beyond 40 years reflects a European-wide return to nuclear power as a viable future energy source.

Under the old legislation, all eight of Spain's reactors would have been shut down between 2011 and 2018. Nuclear power accounts for about 20% of the country's electricity.

The nuclear changes come as part of the country's new Sustainable Energy Act, which was voted in by a massive 323 votes to 19. The nuclear aspect of the act passed 334 to 10. The decision was welcomed by the nuclear industry.

"We welcome the decision taken by the Spanish government, which echoes similar developments across Europe," said Santiago San Antonio, Director General of Foratom, the trade association representing the European nuclear industry. "Indeed, an increasing number of European countries have opted to either extend the operational duration of their power plants or build new ones. This clearly shows how nuclear energy is seen as an effective and essential means of contributing to the achievement of Europe's low-carbon economy goals."

At the end of last year, Sweden and Germany both reversed previous anti-nuclear power legislation. The Swedish government overturned a 30-year ban on new nuclear reactors in a highly controversial vote of 174-172, which will let the owners and operators of the country's 10 ageing nuclear reactors to replace them with new reactors. Nuclear power accounts for almost half of the country's electricity.

In November, and after a year of bitter political infighting, Germany's coalition government overturned the country's standing anti-nuclear laws to extend the life of the country's 17 reactors for an average of 12 years. For more information and a listing of nuclear plants receiving the extensions, see November 2, 2010, article - German Parliament Backs Extending Lives of Nuclear Power Plants.

Earlier this month, Italy ruled that a referendum will decide whether or not nuclear power will be allowed back into the country's power mix after an absence of 24 years. For more information, see February 3, 2011, article - Italy's Nuclear Future to be Determined by Voter Referendum.

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