Nuclear municipalities want to delay closure

It is not advisable to publicly express opposition to nuclear energy if you aspire to govern one of the two nuclear-powered municipalities in Catalonia, Ascó (Ribera d'Ebre) and Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant (Baix Camp). In the case of Ascó, with far fewer economic alternatives to nuclear energy and a problem of depopulation, the political scope extends to its area of ​​influence, including a large part of the region, which lacks opportunities.

It may seem like an exaggeration, but just talk to mayors, council members, and their entire political ecosystem. With nuclear power, due to its economic and employment impact, which has supported thousands of families for over 40 years, there are jokes and adventures, just the right amount.

Almost everyone knows this and explains it, both in public and especially in private, where political strategies are brewing. For days now, the parties have been thinking about how to position themselves amid the open political debate following the blackout, with its consequences for the end of nuclear power plants throughout Spain.

The majority political thesis that has begun to prevail is that the electrical system is not prepared to do without nuclear energy.

The majority political thesis that has already begun to take hold in the Catalan nuclear epicentre: the Spanish electricity system is not prepared to do without nuclear energy, so the atomic reactors will have to extend their useful life beyond what the Sánchez government approved: Ascó I should close in 2030, Ascó II in 2032 and Vandellòs II, the last, in 2035. The decommissioning will continue to generate employment, in part, for another 10-15 years.

There are political voices beginning to advocate for a coexistence, without an expiration date, between nuclear and renewable energies.

For the Catalan parties that most strongly support renewable energy, the narrative will be shaped by a defense of nuclear energy until wind turbines and solar plants are more widely deployed and the electricity system is more robust. Political acumen is required, and the autonomy of mayors and councilors in nuclear areas will prevail. Minimal interference, then.

"ERC is a party that has historically been anti-nuclear and environmentalist, but there has been a shift among several voices toward more pragmatic positions, along the lines of extending the life of nuclear power plants," says Francesc Barbero (ERC), president of the Ribera d'Ebre Regional Council and mayor of Flix.

Mayors and councillors of the atomic area have autonomy with respect to the postulates of the national executives

"We are not prepared to maintain the electricity grid with renewables alone," argues Assumpció Castellví (Junts), mayor of Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant. "The horizon for nuclear power needs to be longer," adds Castellví, who clearly explains that they are in favor of delaying the closure of Vandellòs II.

"Nuclear power must continue to exist; otherwise, the alternative would be gas, which would be counterproductive. The energy mix of the future must also continue to include nuclear energy," emphasizes Miquel Àngel Ribes, mayor of Ascó, who heads an independent party ( Per tu ) that governs with the PSC and ERC.

"There is a portion of the population that is against nuclear power, as everywhere, but it's very small; I dare say the majority of residents are in favor of extending the life of the plants," Castellví argues. The CUP, with one councilor, is the only party represented in the Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant City Council that is openly anti-nuclear.

Going against nuclear plants in the Ribera d'Ebre or in Vandellòs is political suicide, and the parties know it

Historically, very few have opposed it if they wanted to pursue a political career at the local level. Despite the rise of environmental awareness, they remain a minority. One of them is Sergi Saladié, a doctor in Geography (URV), environmentalist, expert in energy and territorial planning, and the only CUP councilor in Vandellòs. In the Ribera d'Ebre region, there is only one CUP councilor, and he is not in Ascó.

"There has been no public consultation with municipalities on whether they want to extend the life of nuclear power plants, and it's not a debate that was part of the last election campaign or in party manifestos," Saladié reproaches those who argue that this region is in favor of extending the life of the plants. "Residents have assumed they will be closed. The post-nuclear future is being debated," adds the CUP councilor.

"The two leaders of the ERC and PSC parties in Ascó are pro-nuclear. Someone running with an electoral platform in favor of nuclear closure wouldn't do much here and wouldn't make any sense because it would be disastrous for our economy," adds the mayor of Ascó.

"The end of nuclear power has always been seen as a threat; almost no one is in favor of its closure. Reindustrialization is very complicated."

They see it as an opportunity to prolong the economic prosperity that the establishment of this industry has brought. An unexpected twist.

“The end of nuclear power plants has always been seen as a threat; almost no one is in favor of their closure. Reindustrialization is very complicated; we saw this with the decommissioning of the chemical plant (Ercros) in Flix,” adds Barbero, the mayor. The interest of many industries in establishing themselves in the area has not materialized. The stigma of an area linked to industries like the chemical and nuclear industries doesn't help. Another problem is one of magnitude. “Closing the nuclear plants here is like closing the Seat plant in Baix Llobregat. No one, now or here, is in favor of meeting the planned closure schedule; everyone is clearly in favor of an extension.”

The fear of mayors and councilors to go against the current

Some 1,900 well-paid people with an average age of 45 work in Ascó (I and II) and Vandellòs II. There are thousands more indirect jobs and a strong economic activity in the area thanks to the contracting of multiple services and the impact of salaries on local shops and businesses. In Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant (7,200 residents), 25% of the annual municipal budget of €25 million comes from taxes paid by the nuclear plant. A similar situation exists in Ascó (1,600 inhabitants), which allows them to be two small municipalities equipped with many services and major facilities. Giving up this would entail a profound change in municipal policy. For years, the two municipalities and their areas of influence, with the support of the Catalan government and public nuclear transition funds, have been preparing for the day after. The aim is to attract new industries and businesses that can create jobs and alternative economic activities. The results so far have been rather modest. The end of nuclear power in Spain, more than financially amortized, was approved by the Sánchez government in 2019. There were no demonstrations in the nuclear municipalities: a certain resignation prevailed while environmentalists and a portion of the population celebrated. City councils have no jurisdiction over nuclear power. Mayors defend the safety of the plants if their lifespan is extended because they endorse the industry's argument: investment has been made to update the plants; they are not outdated. "It has been proven that operating cycles of 60 and 80 years can be achieved," says Miquel Àngel Ribes, mayor of Ascó.