Foro Nuclear welcomes the European recommendation to avoid the premature closure of nuclear power plants
April 23, 2026The package of measures proposed by the European Union to address the energy crisis, AccelerateEU, states that nuclear energy is an important component of decarbonisation, industrial competitiveness, and security of supply. It also calls for avoiding the premature closure of existing nuclear power plants, a recommendation that Foro Nuclear views positively.
Following recent statements by the President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, who described Europe turning away from nuclear energy as a “strategic mistake,” the EC has now published a set of measures aimed at strengthening energy resilience in order to achieve affordable energy without compromising security of supply.
The document proposes preventing the premature closure of existing nuclear capacity due to its contribution to reducing the use of fossil fuels. Foro Nuclear strongly recommends this pragmatic approach based on technical evidence. “Europe is facing a decisive moment. Accelerating the energy transition requires realistic decisions, mature technologies and regulation that is aligned with climate and industrial goals. Nuclear energy is part of that solution,” said Foro Nuclear’ s President Marta Ugalde.
The European Commission considers that nuclear power plants supply clean power, suitable for enhancing system integration and providing flexibility facilitating further roll-out of other clean technologies. These benefits accrue to the whole EU energy system.
According to Marta Ugalde, “the European Commission has sent a clear message to Member States: maintaining the safe operation of existing nuclear power plants is a key element for competitiveness, security of supply and decarbonisation goals. Spain has the opportunity to align with Europe on this issue, making the most of the added value that nuclear energy brings to a robust, sustainable and forward-looking electricity system.”
