{"id":202481,"date":"2026-02-11T15:41:06","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T15:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/spains-reservoirs-are-overflowing-creating-a-nuclear-power-challenge\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T15:41:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T15:41:08","slug":"spains-reservoirs-are-overflowing-creating-a-nuclear-power-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/spains-reservoirs-are-overflowing-creating-a-nuclear-power-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain’s Reservoirs Are Overflowing, Creating a Nuclear Power Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What just a few months ago seemed like a chimera\u2014seeing overflowing reservoirs in the middle of winter\u2014has become an overwhelming reality after the passage of successive Atlantic fronts. But the water that has fallen on the peninsula has not only alleviated the drought; it has generated such an excess of energy supply that the electrical system has had to do without its traditional “base load”: nuclear energy. The data confirms that, faced with the push of water and wind, the atom has lost its place in the market.<\/p>\n

A Change of Scenery<\/h2>\n

According to data from the Peninsular Hydrological Bulletin<\/a>,<\/strong> the water reserve in Spain has skyrocketed to 77.3% of its total capacity, storing 43,341 hm\u00b3 of water. This represents an increase of 10.1% in a single week, illustrating the volume of rainfall. To understand the magnitude of this data, just look back: during the same week last year, the reserve was at only 58.13%. Even more impressive is the comparison with the average of the last 10 years, which stands at 53.6%. Today, we have 13,000 cubic hectometers more water than the historical average.<\/p>\n

This situation has shifted the focus from scarcity to security. In Andalusia, where red alerts have been activated, reservoirs are now functioning as the last line of defense against floods. The system has been performing “flood lamination” work\u2014water retention to prevent overflow\u2014especially in the Guadalquivir and Genil basins, where dams like Izn\u00e1jar and El Tranco are crucial in mitigating flood risks before they reach cities like Seville.<\/p>\n

The Great Battery of Spain<\/h2>\n

The impact of the abundant water supply goes far beyond the visible.<\/strong> Reservoirs are not just liquid stores; they are giant batteries. Spain currently stores 16,184 GWh of hydroelectric energy, the largest amount ever recorded at this time. When compared to the same week last year (13,825 GWh), the increase is significant: today we have 117.1% of the energy we had a year ago.<\/p>\n

Nuclear Power’s Challenges<\/h2>\n

This massive supply of cheap electricity has saturated the Iberian market. The influx of renewable energy has been so overwhelming that interconnections are struggling to manage the flow. Expert Joaqu\u00edn Coronado highlighted that the combination of rain and high wind production in Portugal led to saturation in the interconnection between countries. As a result, while prices in Spain plummeted due to solar and hydro energy, prices in Portugal soared during peak hours due to technical constraints.<\/p>\n

The direct consequence of this renewable surplus is that nuclear energy is losing its competitive edge. Recent market data shows a pressure that has expelled 1.5 GW of nuclear power. Notably, the Trillo Nuclear Power Plant was disconnected from the grid, acknowledging that it was no longer compatible with the electricity market’s needs.<\/p>\n

The Underlying Debate: Why Keep What is Left Over?<\/h2>\n

This situation comes amid ongoing discussions about extending the Almaraz nuclear plant’s lifespan beyond 2027. A recent report from Greenpeace<\/a> warns that keeping nuclear plants operational may hinder ecological transitions. Key takeaways from their findings include:<\/p>\n