The European Parliament has called on the Spanish Government of Pedro Sánchez to reconsider its decision to close the Almaraz nuclear power plant, warning of the negative economic, social and energy consequences the move would bring.
The request was set out in the official report drawn up after a European mission visited the plant in Extremadura, western Spain, and Cabañeros, in Castilla-La Mancha, central Spain, in February.
The document explicitly states in its conclusions that the nuclear facility should not be shut down, describing the decision as one driven solely by political and ideological motives.
The president of Extremadura, María Guardiola of the Partido Popular (PP), and the region’s vice-president, Óscar Fernández of the Vox party, travelled to Brussels to follow the vote and defend the continued operation of Almaraz.
Guardiola has highlighted that the plant provides employment for 4,000 families in the Campo Arañuelo area. “The message from the European Parliament is forceful and clear, the government must reconsider the closure of Almaraz given that nuclear energy is currently considered green transition energy and has become essential in much of Europe,” she told reporters.
The report has stated that decisions on strategic energy infrastructure should be taken on the basis of rigorous, transparent and technically justified assessments, taking into account energy security, socio-economic impact and decarbonisation objectives.
PP MEP Elena Nevado, also from Extremadura, has argued the report confirms the closure represents “a purely political and ideological decision, without sufficient technical basis”, adding that “there is no comprehensive impact assessment that adequately evaluates its consequences.”
The shutdown is set to bring significant economic, social and energy consequences for the region, with Almaraz accounting for around 7 per cent of electricity generation in Spain and serving as one of the principal economic engines of the area.
Nevado has noted that the plant is a “stable and continuous” source of electricity, particularly relevant for the security of the Spanish power system following the April 28, 2025 blackout.
That historic power cut left millions of homes and businesses without electricity for hours across Spain and Portugal, prompting renewed debate over the country’s energy mix and the role of nuclear power in guaranteeing supply.
Spain’s left-wing government has approved a phased shutdown of the country’s nuclear fleet, a policy that has drawn criticism from the centre-right and right-wing opposition as well as from regional authorities in areas hosting the plants.
Concerns have also been raised that the closure could leave Spain increasingly reliant on imported energy, potentially including nuclear power from neighbouring France.
The European Parliament’s intervention, though non-binding, has added pressure on Madrid at a time when several EU member states have moved to extend the lifespan of their existing nuclear plants and classify nuclear energy as part of the bloc’s green transition.
