Belgium tilts nuclear phase -out: government is planning new nuclear power plants!

Belgium tilts nuclear phase -out: government is planning new nuclear power plants!

Tihange, Belgien - Belgium has surprisingly announced plans to overturn the decided nuclear phase -out and to promote the expansion of nuclear power. The new government under Prime Minister Bart de Wever explains that the exit law that has been in force since 2003 is considered "outdated". Instead of switching off all nuclear power plants by the end of 2025, the existing reactors with a total output of four gigawatts should remain in operation longer. De Wever and Minister of Energy Mathieu Bihet have announced that they would extend the terms of the reactors DOEL 4 and TIHANGE 3 to at least in the late 2035. The goal is to increase the overall performance to eight gigawatts and to secure the capacity in the long term.

This development can be seen against the background of the continuing energy crisis and the geopolitical situation, especially the Ukraine War. Prime Minister Alexander de Croo had already emphasized the need to secure the country's power supply. Belgium is expected to be an agreement with the energy group Engie in order to cope with the duration extension and the necessary modernizations. Both, the Belgian state and Engie, have agreed to take part in the costs of extending the nuclear power plants.

changes in the law and security

The changes to the Nuclear Excession Act should be implemented "very quickly". Minister Bihet announced that two articles from the law adopted in 2003 are canceled. The government sees a low-carbon energy source in nuclear power, which is of growing importance in view of the EU-wide efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. In other European countries, including France, Sweden and Italy, there are also new nuclear power plants.

Nevertheless, the topic remains controversial. Critics warn of security risks, especially in view of the defects that have been found in Belgian reactors in the past, including the dilapidated concrete parts. The city of Aachen and the federal government also demand the decommissioning of the Belgian nuclear power plants, which further fueled the debates about the nuclear phase -out. The Flemish Minister of Energy emphasizes the importance of security, but sees pragmatic solutions as necessary.

the way forward

The planned work to extend the terms should begin immediately after the necessary permits have been obtained. Tiange 3 and Doel 4 should go online again after the updates in winter 2026. Originally, Tiange 3 was to be taken from the power grid in October 2022 due to a pressure drop, which has increased the concerns about the security of the reactors from the 1970s and 80s.