Congress agrees to process a PP proposal to extend nuclear power plants

In defense of the initiative, PP deputy Juan Diego Requena cited various reports indicating that nuclear energy is "essential."

The Congress of Deputies plenary session agreed this Tuesday to begin processing the PP's bill to extend the useful life of nuclear power plants, thanks to the support of Vox and the abstention of Junts per Catalunya.

The initiative was approved by 171 votes in favor, 166 against, and seven abstentions.

The seven ERC deputies, who abstained along with Junts in voting this year on other similar non-legislative proposals, voted against this time.

Until now, this traditional abstention by ERC and Junts was based on the fact that more than 50% of the electricity consumed in Catalonia comes from nuclear power plants.

ERC MP Teresa Jordá stressed that this is because successive central governments have been "irresponsible" and "have not made sufficient or timely energy transition plans."

He explained that this means the government "cannot maintain the closure schedule without doing its homework," but emphasized that the ERC supports the closure of nuclear power plants because the safety risks and costs associated with maintaining them "are increasingly evident."

Junts representative Pilar Calvo agreed that Catalonia "needs answers and that the Spanish government guarantees supply" and based her abstention on the fact that her group cannot "jeopardize the competitiveness of Catalan industry."

Along these lines, the pro-independence MP criticized the Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, for not meeting with energy companies to "open the debate on the conditions of the energy transition, which Catalonia is long overdue."

In defense of the initiative, PP deputy Juan Diego Requena cited various reports indicating that nuclear energy is "essential" and stated that "a government besieged by corruption and with only a few days left cannot make the momentous decision to shut down the nuclear power plant, which would create an irreversible problem, only for another government to take on."

The safety risks and economic costs of extending the life of nuclear plants have been the main reasons cited by other groups opposing the measure.

The PNV has quantified these "extra costs" at 2.5 billion per year, which would impact citizens' pockets.

For his part, Socialist MP Andreu Martín has raised the issue of the location of nuclear waste with the PP.

"Where do they want to keep them? In Barcelona? In Madrid? In Génova 13? In (Isabel Díaz) Ayuso's penthouse?" he asked.

From Sumar, Eloi Badia has lashed out at the corrupt " cartel" that, in his opinion, is formed by Endesa, Iberdrola and Naturgy, while, on behalf of Vox, José María Figaredo has advocated not only for maintaining the existing nuclear power plants, but also for opening new ones and lowering their taxes.