Nuclear energy results in 2018 and future perspectives
June 05, 2019

Nuclear energy results in 2018 and future perspectives

Foro Nuclear publish "Nuclear energy results in 2018 and future perspectives", a report with updated data and graphs on nuclear energy in Spain and the world.

Ignacio Araluce, Foro Nuclear's chairperson: "In a year where energy transition and the steps that are needed to implement it were on everybody's lips, we would like to appreciate the contributions of nuclear power to the Spanish electricity system: It is the leading source of generation, thus guaranteeing the supply of electricity, plus the one that operated the longest; in addition, it is a zero-carbon technology.

In the face of this transition to a decarbonized economy, nuclear power plants will play an essential role in reaching climate targets while guaranteeing the supply of electricity. In 2018 the seven Spanish nuclear reactors generated 20.39% of all consumed electricity. They led production for another straight year, outputting 53,198 net GWh with only 6.84% of the net installed capacity and operated 85.33% of the time during the year. This leadership comes on top of their essential role in arresting climate change. In fact, Spanish reactors were the source of electricity that helped prevent CO2 emissions the most as they produced 34.39% of all clean electricity last year.

40 countries that have requested the wide range of services and technology provided by the Spanish nuclear sector

In addition to being leaders in production, operating hours and emissions reduction, they had exemplary operation (among the best operational data in the world), their time availability and unit capability factors being close to 90%. All this is possible thanks to the commitment, professionalism and training of all sector workers and to the technical capabilities of and the services and products with a high technological value provided by our country's nuclear industry -both within Spain and abroad.

The excellent results achieved by Spanish NPPs, together with the sector's continued support of their operation with the maximum guarantees as to their safety, are complemented by the international outlook of our industry, which year after year wins new contracts and strengthens its alliances and synergies in different countries. China, Russia, Turkey, Argentina, the U.A.E., Sweden, Finland and France are some of the 40 countries that have requested the wide range of services and technology provided by the Spanish nuclear sector: engineering, equipment, construction and assembly, fuel, refueling outage support, radiation protection, training and so on and so forth. This is a clear sign that our industry has achieved international renown and that nuclear power continues to grow globally, 55 new units currently being built and 450 reactors in operation across the world.

I would like to wrap things up by restating the good work done by the Spanish nuclear industry and the need to keep using this type of power in our country".

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