Belgium Announces Nuclear Nationalisation, Reversing Phase-Out Policy
Belgium’s government announced on Thursday that it is planning to buy its nuclear reactors from French power giant Engie, in order to secure the country’s energy supplies.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever said the deal would involve “a full takeover” of the nuclear fleet, including Belgium’s seven ageing nuclear reactors. The move would also mean suspending plans to decommission nuclear operations in Belgium.
“This government is choosing safe, affordable and sustainable energy, with less dependence on fossil fuel imports and more control over our own supply,” De Wever posted on X.
The move would reverse the phase-out of nuclear energy legislation approved in the early 2000s amid safety concerns. The original legislation prohibited the building of new nuclear power plants and limited the operating lifetimes of existing ones to 40 years.
Only two of Belgium’s seven nuclear reactors are currently operational — located at plants in Doel and in Tihange — and their operating licences were recently extended until 2035.
The other five reactors were shut down between 2022 and 2025, and plans to dismantle them will now be suspended.
Engie and the Belgian government said they aim to reach an agreement on the takeover of the nuclear stations by 1 October.
In a joint statement with Engie, the Belgian government said the move also highlights its aim to extend operations of existing nuclear reactors and to develop “new nuclear capacity” in Belgium.
“By doing so, the Belgian Government is taking responsibility for Belgium’s long-term energy future, with the objective of building a financially and economically viable activity that supports security of supply, climate objectives, industrial resilience and socio-economic prosperity,” the statement adds.
Belgium is one of a number of European countries revising their nuclear strategy, making a “complete U-turn” after years of reluctance about investing in nuclear energy.
All seven nuclear reactors had at one point been set to close by 2025. The reactors have long been controversial — they have been shut down repeatedly for safety checks and have sparked fear in neighbouring countries.
Tensions flared in 2015 when plans to use reactors beyond their 40-year design life was met with complaints coming from cities across nearby borders. The German city of Aachen even began offering iodine tablets to residents in 2017 over safety fears about the reactors at Tihange, following closures over cracks and water leaks.
Source: BBC News