While the closure of the nuclear power plant is being debated, one of its owners (Naturgy) started construction of its largest photovoltaic plant in Spain just 50 kilometers away. There are 300 megawatts (MW) of power to produce around 515 GWh annually, an amount equivalent to the electricity consumption of 157,100 homes. The facility is located in the municipalities of Aldeacentenera and Torrecillas de la Tiesa, in the province of Cáceres. The new plant will come into operation in 2026.
About 30 facilities like the new one from Naturgy would be needed to produce the same amount of energy as the nuclear power plant. That is one of the main problems of the energy transition. Renewable sources are still not as powerful as old plants, whether they use atomic energy or fossil fuels. Of course, renewables do not leave dangerous waste like nuclear waste, which can be active for thousands or tens of thousands of years, according to the National Security Center.