The Belgian government has started work to extend the operating period of 3 nuclear reactors, which are planned to be closed in 2025.
According to the news in the national press, the government asked Engie, the operator of nuclear power plants in the country, to examine whether it is possible to extend the operating times of the Doel 1, Doel 2 and Tihange 1 reactors.
In this context, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten will conduct negotiations with the energy company Engie officials.
Engie company will complete its study on the condition of the reactors and whether they can be extended by mid-March and submit it to the Federal Nuclear Inspection Agency.
In case of an agreement between the government and the energy company, Doel 1, Doel 2 and Tihange 1 reactors will be kept as “nuclear reserves” for 2 years after 2025 and will continue to operate.
In order for these reactors to remain in operation for a longer period of time, they should produce electricity at a lower level especially in the summer periods and increase them to full capacity in the winter periods.
REACTORS NEED TO BE CLOSED BY 2025
The reactors in question must be shut down by 2025, under the denuclearization law drafted by previous governments.
In Belgium, a total of 7 reactors were operating, 4 at the Doel nuclear power plant near the Dutch border, and 3 at the Tihange nuclear power plant near the German and Luxembourg border.
The electricity produced by these reactors normally met about half of the country’s needs.
Before the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Belgian government had prepared a plan for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants in 2025.
In accordance with the decisions of the past governments, the Doel 3 rector was closed in September last year, and the Tihange 2 reactor was closed at the end of January.
Due to the energy crisis, the current government has started to work on extending the operating period of these reactors, but in the negotiations between the operators of the reactors and the government, it was determined that it was not technically and legally possible to postpone the shutdown process at this stage, and this would pose security risks.
EXTENDING THE TIME OF 2 REACTORS
On the other hand, Belgium decided to extend the operating period of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors, which it had previously planned to shut down in 2025, by 10 years in order to avoid energy supply shortages. The 2 reactors, whose operating periods have been extended, are known as the nuclear facilities that the country last built in 1985.
The Doel 1 and Doel 2 reactors, which were put into operation in 1975, each have a power generation capacity of 445 megawatt-hours, while the Tihange 1 reactor, which was put into operation in the same year, has an electricity production capacity of 962 megawatt-hours.