Nuclear energy, the clean generation

“Nuclear energy is an extremely important component of the energy mix in Spain, among other reasons, because of its stability in the grid, which makes the supply extremely reliable and because it does not emit any CO2.”

 Ignacio Araluce, president of Foro Nuclear.

According to the study "A Sustainable Energy Model for Spain in 2050" produced by Deloitte, in the evolution toward a carbon-free model in 2050, nuclear power can guarantee security of supply and stability of end-user energy prices until renewables and energy storage systems are fully developed. This is why at Endesa we endorse extending the operation of nuclear plants for up to another 50 or 60 years, just like other European countries are doing, to comply with the Paris Agreements.

We are not alone in our endorsement to maintain nuclear plants: European countries such as Sweden, the United Kingdom, France and Finland, along with several states in the USA, all consider it to be vital to avoid the environmental and economic consequences that their closing would entail. 

A reliable and safe energy

In terms of safety, the plants owned by Endesa are in the final phase of the implementation of the Safety Reinforcement Project, derived from the post-Fukushima measures. Overall, around 30 million euros have been invested per unit to improve the robustness of the plants and to guarantee the safety thereof in the long term, including in the event of extreme natural disasters, such as earthquakes, fires or large-scale flooding.

At Endesa, since the plants were inaugurated, we have worked extremely hard, investing to improve and guarantee the safety of all the plants: every year we carry out technological updates to ensure the optimal performance and modernisation of the power plants.

According to the General Manager of Nuclear Iberia at Endesa, Juan María Moreno Mellado, “for every 100 euros invested in the plants during their construction phase, over the last 20 years we have invested another 60. We have worked extremely hard to keep the plants up-to-date and as safe as possible".  

“We have worked extremely hard to keep the plants up-to-date and as safe as possible.”

 Juan María Moreno Mellado. General Manager of Nuclear Iberia at Endesa.

Over the coming years 500 million euros will be invested in order to continue with the improvement process that allows this technology to be used in the future.

An emission-free generation

Nuclear energy is a technology capable of producing large amounts of sustainable energy without contributing to climate change: it doesn’t release carbon oxides, sulphur, nitrogen or ash into the atmosphere; it generates 33% of the greenhouse gas effects of free energy, and avoids 45 to 50 million tons of CO2 every year.

This energy is the key to the production of energy in the future. If we want to guarantee sustainable and competitive production capable of satisfying increasing demand with security of supply, nuclear energy is the best way.