Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Junts’ Abstention Delivers Mobility Law and Defeats PP Move to Remove Nuclear Shutdown Dates

The razor-thin vote preserves Spain’s nuclear closure timetable, a result the government says averts legal uncertainty over plant lifespans.

Overview

  • Congress approved the Sustainable Mobility law after a 171–172 vote defeated a PP amendment to erase definitive shutdown dates for the Almaraz, Ascó I and Cofrentes nuclear plants, with seven Junts abstentions.
  • Junts also aligned with the investiture bloc to block a PP proposal to freeze AENA airport fees, which the government argued would force a rethink of airport investment plans including Barcelona-El Prat.
  • The Ecological Transition Ministry said the rejected PP text would not have automatically extended plant operations and warned it bypassed the Nuclear Safety Council’s role, creating legal uncertainty.
  • Lawmakers passed a separate PP amendment restoring higher Renfe delay compensations—100% refunds from 30 minutes and 15% from 15 minutes—with votes from PP, Vox, ERC, Junts, PNV and UPN.
  • The Transport Ministry signaled it will seek mechanisms to invalidate the Renfe measure, arguing it does not fit a liberalized rail market, while the law itself is tied to unlocking about €10 billion in EU funds.