Nuclear power produced 20.8% of electricity in Spain in 2021
January 14, 2022

Nuclear power produced 20.8% of electricity in Spain in 2021

The Spanish nuclear fleet - comprised of seven operative reactors (Almaraz I and II, Ascó I and II, Cofrentes, Trillo and Vandellós II) in five different sites - generated in 2021 almost 21% of the total consumed electricity, according to the provisional data from the Spanish Electric Network (REE) analyzed  by Foro Nuclear.

Nuclear power produced 20.8% of electricity in Spain in 2021

Nuclear power: a stable, reliable and predictable source

For the past ten consecutive years, since 2012, nuclear power in Spain has produced over one fifth of the electricity generated in the Spanish electric system. The past year it was also, once again, the technology with the highest average hours of operation: 7,597 out of the 8,760 hours in the year. This is a 86.72% capacity factor, making it a fundamental guarantee for the stable and contiuous operation of the electric system in Spain.

In Spain, nuclear power plants have been contributing one fifth of the total electricity consumed for a decade

Average operation per technology

In 2021, with a joint net installed power of 7,117 MW, 6.34% of the total electric system, Spanish nuclear power plants produced 54,066 net GWh, 3.1%. This is less than in 2020, since there were six refueling outages (for all units except Ascó II) and also some took significantly longer than usual due to the COVID-19 measures in place.

Nuclear power was the second source of generation - after ten consecutive years as the technology that contributed with the greatest net production to the Spanish electric system - with 20,8% of the total (1.4 percentage points less than the previous year).

Nuclear power produced 20.8% of electricity in Spain in 2021

Prevented emissions thanks to nuclear

It must be stressed that, throughout 2021, nuclear power once again prevented the release of over 20 million tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere, and produced 30.4% of the emissions-free electricity generated in Spain. For Foro Nuclear this source is essential in the fight against climate change, as well as fundamental in the energy transition.

 

Nuclear power in Spain has prevented releasing 20 million tonnes of CO2

Nuclear power produced 20.8% of electricity in Spain in 2021

Lastly, at the beginning of 2022, the year that commemorates the 60th anniversary since the foundation of the Spanish Nuclear Industry Forum (Foro Nuclear), it must be stressed that during the 53 years that nuclear power has been in operation in Spain, the Spanish nuclear fleet has produced around 2,200,000 GWh. This represents 21.9% of all the electricity generated in our country during this period and over eight times the electricity consumed in 2021.

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