The Belgian government is studying the extension of the useful life of three more nuclear reactors, after extending the operation of two other units by ten years due to the energy crisis, Belgian media reported today.
The coalition director led by Alexander de Croo asked the company that operates the seven nuclear reactors in Belgium, Engie, to check whether the activity of the Doel 1, Doel 2 and Tihange 1 reactors can be maintained.
On January 9, the Belgian government and the electricity company Engie reached an agreement to extend the operation of two nuclear reactors (Doel 4 and Tihange 3) by ten years, starting in November 2026.
The aim is to study an extension of the activity and adjust the fuel consumption so that it lasts longer.
The conclusions of the requested investigation are expected in March, public broadcaster RTBF reported on Friday.
Belgium’s electricity grid operator, Elia, had warned that the country could run into an electricity shortage at peak consumption.
In 2019, the last year before the pandemic, Belgium obtained 48.8% of its electricity from seven nuclear power plants spread over two plants, Tihange (southwest) and Doel (northeast), with a capacity of 2,900 and 3,000 electric megawatts (MWe), respectively.
Belgium committed in 2003 to close all its nuclear power plants by 2025, but has postponed the implementation of this controversial decision due to the energy price crisis.
So far it has shut down only two of its seven reactors (Doel 3 and Tihange 2).
The start of the Russian war against Ukraine and the cutting of Russian gas supplies to Europe, due to Western sanctions, have also changed the energy plans of several European countries. This Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron met with his nuclear policy steering committee to discuss the cadence of the accelerated relaunch of this sector, a “priority project” declared a year ago given the energy and climate crises.
Source: DN
