ZAPATERO FACES CONTROVERSIAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

UNCLAS MADRID 000571

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/WE AND OES AND T FOR MARC HUMPHREY
COMMERCE FOR 4212/D.CALVERT
ENERGY FOR PIA/K.BALLOU

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG TRGY BEXP BTIO SP
SUBJECT: ZAPATERO FACES CONTROVERSIAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
DECISION

REF: A. MADRID 469

B. 08 MADRID 1362

1.(U) On June 5, the Nuclear Security Council (CSN)
recommended that the GOS approve a request to extend the
operating license of the Santa Maria de Garona nuclear power
plant by 10 years from its scheduled expiration date of July

5. Garona, located in the northern province of Burgos, is
the oldest and smallest of Spain,s 8 nuclear power plants,
in operation since 1971. The recommendation now goes to
Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Commerce Miguel Sebastian
for a decision by July 5, but the final say doubtless will
belong to President Zapatero. If the GOS does not decide to
extend the license, the plant would close in 2011.

2.(U) Garona is a relatively small plant, generating only
1.3% of Spain,s electricity last year. However, the
decision will be a precedent for decisions next year on three
larger plants. Zapatero has consistently opposed expanding
Spain,s use of nuclear power, and the PSOE had promised
during the 2008 campaign not to extend licenses beyond
plants, useful lives,, generally assumed to mean their
original 40-year licenses. The GOS has previously closed
other plants. However, there are some indications that
extension of Garona,s license is politically possible. One
press report suggested that an agreement for extension had
been worked out several weeks ago before falling apart, and
Zapatero cautioned last month that the CSN recommendation
would play an important role in the government,s decision.
Nuclear power provides almost 20% of Spain,s electricity,
and its lack of CO2 emissions contributes to another Zapatero
priority, the fight against climate change. Given the
expense Spain will incur to buy emission offsets from abroad
to compensate for its failure to meet Kyoto CO2 emissions
targets, closing this and other nuclear plants would be
costly. Advocates of extension argue that the facility in
Garona is almost identical to a plant of the same age in
Minnesota that has a state license to operate until 2031.
The opposition PP and labor groups support maintaining
current plants open as long as they are viable and building
new plants. However, a 2008 poll found that 48 percent of
Spaniards opposed expanding nuclear power and 40 percent
favored it.

3.(U) Comment: Zapatero,s statements have been ambiguous
enough that proponents of extending the plant,s license hope
he will decide to extend the license. Political factors
certainly will play an important role in the decision. One
press report indicated that the PSOE-appointed members of the
CSN had agreed to recommend approval only if the
recommendation, which was due June 5, would not be made
public until June 8, after Spaniards voted in the European
Parliament elections.
CHACON