After Spain's blackout, questions about renewable energy are back
MADRID — The massive power outage that hit the Iberian peninsula on April 28 has reignited a debate in Spain over the country's plan to phase out its nuclear reactors as it generates more power with renewable energy.
As people wait for answers about what caused the historic power cut , which abruptly disrupted tens of millions of lives , some are questioning the wisdom of decommissioning nuclear reactors that provide a stable, if controversial, form of energy compared to renewables, whose output can be intermittent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
6 hours ago
- Fox News
US sanctions money laundering network aiding Iran as regime faces nuclear reprimand at IAEA
The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned some 35 individuals involved in laundering money for Iran on Friday as the administration seeks to make a deal with Iran over its nuclear weapons program. A State Department spokesperson said in a statement that,"This network has laundered billions of dollars through Iranian exchange houses and foreign front companies to sustain Tehran's campaigns of terror that undermine international peace and security and line the pockets of regime elites." Meanwhile, tensions with Iran continue, with the Associated Press reporting that Western powers are considering a resolution at the IAEA that would formally declare Tehran in non-compliance with its nuclear obligations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the move a "strategic mistake" and accused the U.K., France, and Germany of choosing "malign action" over diplomacy. "Mark my words as Europe ponders another major strategic mistake: Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights," he wrote on X. The draft resolution, expected to be introduced next week, would mark the first time in two decades that Western nations bring such a motion against Iran at the IAEA. As U.S. and Iranian negotiators engage in fragile talks, voices from within Iran reveal a grim paradox: while many citizens desperately seek relief from crushing economic hardship, they fear any deal may only tighten the Islamic Republic's grip on power. "Right now, people in Iran do not have any hope for anything," said a female journalist in Tehran, who spoke anonymously out of fear for her safety. "The economy is collapsing. We sometimes don't have electricity or water. The value of the rial is falling. Life is becoming unlivable." Like many Iranians, she believes an agreement could temporarily ease inflation and halt the country's economic freefall. But she—and many others—fear the unintended consequences. "If the regime reaches a deal, it could become more powerful and more confident in suppressing people. That's what frightens us the most," she said. Under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has faced growing unrest at home, triggered by economic pain, political repression, and widespread mistrust. As negotiations proceed, Iranian citizens are watching closely—but not with optimism. WHITE HOUSE URGES IRAN TO ACCEPT NUCLEAR DEAL AS IAEA REPORTS URANIUM ENRICHMENT SPIKE "People in Iran are caught in a dilemma," said another Tehran resident, a man who also requested anonymity. "On one hand, they want the regime to fall. On the other, the economic burden is so heavy that any deal offering relief feels like a lifeline. But the truth is, even if a deal is signed, ordinary people won't benefit. We've seen this before." He pointed to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Obama-era nuclear agreement that promised economic benefits but, according to many Iranians, never delivered meaningful change for the public. "Only those connected to the regime gained anything," he said. "For the rest of us, life stayed the same." While Iranian leaders claim the nuclear program is peaceful, the U.S. and allies remain concerned about uranium enrichment levels nearing weapons-grade levels. Trump has demanded a full halt to enrichment, while Khamenei insists on retaining it. "I'm a journalist, and we work under extreme censorship," said the woman in Tehran. "We're not allowed to mention U.S. or Israeli military capabilities. We can't publish anything about the talks without approval." She described a system where state censors dictate what reporters can and cannot say—down to the vocabulary. "It's not just the content—it's the individual words. And that makes journalism almost impossible." In the interviews with Fox News Digital, Iranians expressed deep skepticism that Khamenei would abide by any agreement. "He lies," the journalist said bluntly. "What he says publicly is never what he actually does. He manipulates both the public and foreign governments. No one should trust a dictator like him." The man echoed the sentiment. "The regime's survival depends on its hostility toward the U.S. and Israel. If it truly committed to a deal, it would undermine its own ideological foundation. That's why no one believes it can last." Recent months have seen a resurgence of protest activity in Iran, including a growing nationwide strike by truck drivers demanding fair wages and lower fuel prices. Though largely ignored by international media, these strikes follow years of widespread protests—most notably the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. That movement, along with economic demonstrations in 2019 and 2021, was met with violent crackdowns, mass arrests, and internet blackouts. The pattern has left Iranians wary that any sign of instability is met with brutal suppression. An Iranian student pointed to the truckers' strikes currently roiling parts of Iran as a sign of grassroots unrest. "These strikes are a direct message from the people," he said. "They've been largely ignored by the media, but they are powerful and legitimate. This is how change begins—if it's allowed to."
News24
11 hours ago
- News24
Iran warns European powers against 'strategic mistake' at nuclear watchdog
Iran warned Britain, France and Germany against making a mistake regarding its nuclear programme. The European powers are considering a resolution accusing Iran of non-compliance. Iran insisted that it had demonstrated cooperation with the IAEA. Iran warned European powers on Friday against backing a draft resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency next week accusing Tehran of non-compliance, calling it a 'strategic mistake'. 'Instead of engaging in good faith, the E3 is opting for malign action against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors,' Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X, referring to Britain, France and Germany. 'Mark my words as Europe ponders another major strategic mistake: Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights.' The warning from Iran's top diplomat comes as the three European governments prepare to join Washington in backing a censure resolution at next week's board meeting, a diplomatic source told AFP. The resolution would accuse Iran of failing to meet its nuclear obligations and carries the threat of referral to the UN Security Council if Tehran 'does not show goodwill', the source added. READ | Iran warns Israel, US against any attack on its nuclear sites Araghchi said Tehran had demonstrated 'years of good cooperation with the IAEA - resulting in a resolution which shut down malign claims of a 'possible military dimension' (PMD) to Iran's peaceful nuclear programme'. 'My country is once again accused of 'non-compliance',' he added, blaming 'shoddy and politicised reporting'. Filippo Monteforte/AFP The criticism follows a quarterly report from the IAEA last week which cited a 'general lack of cooperation' from Iran and raised concerns over undeclared nuclear material. Tehran rejected the report as politically motivated and based on 'forged documents' it said had been provided by its arch foe Israel. The pressure on Iran comes amid indirect talks with the US, mediated by Oman since 12 April, to forge a new nuclear agreement between the longtime foes. The two sides have been publicly at odds over uranium enrichment, the process that produces fuel for nuclear reactors or, in highly extended form, the material for a nuclear warhead. Atta Kenare/AFP Iran insists it has the right to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the issue is 'non-negotiable'. But in a post on his Truth Social network on Monday, US President Donald Trump said the United States 'WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM' by Iran. Tehran and Washington are seeking a new agreement to replace a 2015 deal with major powers which Trump unilaterally abandoned during his first term in 2018. Ufuk Celal Guzel/Anadolu via Getty Images The agreement quickly unravelled as Trump reimposed sweeping sanctions and Tehran began walking back its own commitments a year later. Iran currently enriches uranium to 60%, well above the 3.67% cap set by the 2015 deal but below the 90% threshold required for a nuclear warhead. Britain, France and Germany, which were all party to the 2015 deal, are considering whether to trigger a 'snapback' of UN sanctions under its dispute resolution mechanism - an option that expires on the deal's 10th anniversary in October.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nebraska needs a nuclear energy strategy
Nebraska Public Power District's Cooper Nuclear Station near Brownville, Nebraska. (Courtesy of NPPD) In February 2021, thousands of Nebraskans found themselves in the dark of rolling blackouts. A brutal polar vortex froze wind turbines, strained natural gas supplies and exposed serious weaknesses in our energy grid. However, even as multiple power sources failed, one remained steadfast — nuclear energy. That moment was a wake-up call. We can no longer afford to treat energy policy as a matter of convenience or short-term cost. To avoid future blackouts and maintain affordable, resilient, firm and reliable power, Nebraska needs nuclear energy. Wind and solar are intermittent. Natural gas is a vital bridge fuel, but it is vulnerable to supply shocks in extreme weather. This is about building a reliable and resilient energy source that can deliver for Nebraska families, farmers and businesses when it counts. Nuclear energy, which currently generates 17% of Nebraska's power, brings unique strengths. It provides carbon-free baseload power that runs around the clock regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. During the 2021 deep freeze, Nebraska's lone nuclear plant kept running at full strength while other sources faltered. The United Nations 2021 report, 'Life Cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation Options,' shows that nuclear has the lowest overall impacts on human health and the environment by any measure and from any perspective. The cost of new nuclear energy is within a penny per kilowatt-hour of other forms of new energy sources, including natural gas, wind and solar. Is that one cent too much to have a resilient, reliable power source for Nebraska? We've seen what happens when nuclear gets overlooked. Omaha Public Power District's Fort Calhoun plant and Nebraska Public Power District's Cooper Nuclear Station accounted for about a quarter of Nebraska's net generation capabilities before Fort Calhoun was shut down in 2016. The shut down was nearly two decades ahead of schedule, a casualty of market conditions that failed to account for long-term reliability and energy needs. Hundreds of skilled jobs were lost. Our energy safety net shrank. And just a few years later, that decision looked shortsighted as the grid buckled under pressure. To avoid repeating that mistake, policymakers should ensure that energy markets properly value reliability and resilience. As 26 House Republicans made clear in a late April letter to congressional leadership, protecting the federal nuclear production tax credit (PTC) is one way to do so. It has proven a huge help in incentivizing the development of nuclear power at a time when NPPD is exploring options. For Nebraska, the credit helps create and protect hundreds of high-paying, skilled jobs, generating local tax revenue and sustaining a stable source of affordable power. Another step Congress could take is expanding investment incentives for next-generation technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs). These compact, scalable reactors can serve Nebraska's rural areas and industrial parks where large traditional plants aren't practical, offering flexibility and grid stability. Policies like the Advanced Nuclear Production Credit and bipartisan permitting reform proposals can help accelerate local deployment. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., has advocated for nuclear's role in America's energy future on the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee, where it helps Nebraska to have a voice in ensuring that our state's long-term energy interests remain protected. Nebraska's energy future isn't just about keeping the lights on. It's about protecting lives during extreme weather, powering our farms and factories and anchoring high-skilled jobs in our communities. If we want to avoid another round of blackouts, we should encourage policies that keep every reliable tool in the toolbox — including nuclear. Bruce Bostelman, a farmer and veteran from Brainard, served in the Nebraska Legislature from 2017 to 2025, including serving as chair of the Natural Resources Committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
