Seven coal-fired power plants totalling 4.6 GW have stopped operations in Spain, as 30 June 2020 was the last of a transition period for coal-fired power plants to comply with the European regulation. The four companies that own and operate them, namely Naturgy, Iberdrola, Viesgo and Endesa (Enel), have chosen not to make investments to comply with the European directive on industrial emissions. The 7 coal-fired power plants are Meirama, Narcea, La Robla (all operated by Naturgy), Compostilla, Andorra (both operated by Endesa), Puente Nuevo (Viesgo), and Velilla (Iberdrola).
Four other plants accounting for more than 3 GW have already filed for permission to shut down and are expected to be decommissioned by 2021-2022: Lada (Iberdrola), Los Barrios (Viesgo), and As Pontes and Litoral (Endesa). The Lada power plant had applied for closure but will remain operational until the government's approval. Other coal-fired power plants are expected to shut down, namely Endesa's Alcudia-3-4 (by 2025) and EDP's power plants (Aboño, Soto de Ribera, and Pereda) by 2030.
In 2019, 9% of the total installed capacity in Spain was coal-fired. Coal accounted for only 4% of the power mix in 2019, down from 40% in 1990 and 36% in 2000.
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