Friday, May 30, 2025

Latest

Spain Reconsiders Nuclear Phase-Out After Grid Collapse

Spain is reconsidering its nuclear energy policy following a catastrophic power outage in April that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula. The collapse occurred when power generation suddenly dropped by more than half of operating capacity, destabilizing the interconnection with France and triggering a cascade of system failures.

“It remains unknown why this occurred or why it caused the entire system to collapse so rapidly,” Red Eléctrica, Spain’s grid operator, said after analyzing the incident.

Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo criticized the government’s energy approach as “enormously ideological” and advocated for reversing the planned nuclear phase-out.

Renewable energy sources dominated Spain’s electricity generation at the time of the failure, with solar providing 55% of power. Technical data shows solar output plummeted from 18 GW to under 5 GW within minutes before the system collapsed.

Experts attribute the vulnerability to renewable energy’s low inertia compared to conventional power plants.

“[Spain’s] system lacked sufficient backup,” Yolanda Moratilla, Committee on Energy chair at the Engineering Institute of Spain, told the Andalou Agency, advocating that “one-third of the energy system should come from nuclear.”

Spain committed in 2019 to decommission its seven nuclear reactors, though the government “recently indicated that it might reconsider this decision,” according to official statements.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denied connections between the blackout and nuclear policy, despite a 2022 video where he promised “there would be no blackouts” following the phase-out plan. The disruption, which caused a frequency disturbance in the grid, automatically disconnected renewable plants exceeding 2 MW capacity as a safety measure.

Proponents of nuclear energy point to its high inertia, a measure of resistance to frequency changes, as crucial for maintaining grid stability as Spain increases its reliance on intermittent renewable sources.



Information for this story was found via the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.

Leave a Reply

Video Articles

How To Profit From $3300 Gold? An Inside Look At A Massive 300,000 Oz Project | Martino De Ciccio

We’re At The Start of a Great Silver Boom | Ross McElroy & Andy Bowering – Apollo Silver Corp

Equinox Gold Q1 Earnings: When Everything Goes Wrong

Recommended

Sterling Metals Hits 0.21% Copper Over 482.8 Metres In First Drilling At Soo Copper project

First Majestic Makes Second Major Discovery At Santa Elena In Just A Year

Related News

Spain Cracks Down on Social Media Influencers Promoting Cryptocurrencies Online

Spanish authorities are cracking down on cryptocurrency advertisements promoted by social media influencers, in an...

Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 04:54:00 PM

Spain Unveils $10.6 BILLION Spending Package To Tackle… Inflation?

Spain’s government is attempting to combat surging inflation by unleashing more fiscal spending measures, this...

Sunday, January 1, 2023, 11:08:00 AM

Liberalsa Earmark $74 Million to Develop A Small Modular Reactor in Saskatchewan

Ottawa is committing to advancing small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as a strategic move towards...

Tuesday, August 22, 2023, 04:56:00 PM

China Greenlights Record 11 Nuclear Reactors in Major Energy Push

China has approved the construction of 11 new nuclear reactors across five different sites. This...

Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 08:03:30 AM

Czech Republic Wants More Nuclear Power, Expands Tender To Up To Four New Blocks

The Czech Republic has announced plans to expand the construction of nuclear power units at...

Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 03:57:00 PM