Belgium Flips Nuclear Switch: Parliament Reverses Phaseout Decision
Belgium Discontinues Nuclear Energy Production
In a surprising move, the Belgian parliament has voted to keep its nuclear reactors humming, setting aside a policy that had been in place for over two decades. With 120 votes in favor, just 8 against, and 31 abstentions, the right-wing government led by Prime Minister Bart De Wever is aiming to prolong the lives of existing reactors and even construct new ones.
Currently, Belgium operates two nuclear power plants, Doel and Tihange, with seven reactors in total. However, three of these have already been shut down. The parliament's decision means that the remaining reactors, namely Doel 4 and Tihange 3, will keep going strong until 2035.
The move toward nuclear energy is largely influenced by concerns about energy security, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine dampens trust in foreign energy supplies. The extension of the nuclear phase-out by ten years was first proposed in 2022.
The debatable Belgian reactors from the 1970s and 80s have often sparked controversy in Germany, with issues like damaged concrete parts detected in neighboring reactors triggering calls for their closure. The Tihange power plant, located about 60 kilometers away from Aachen, has been a point of contention.
Germany made its own decision to phase out nuclear power in 2002, but in a dramatic turn after the Fukushima disaster, the lifespan extension was reversed a year later. The last nuclear power plants were finally shut down in 2023, making Italy the only country to fully implement a nuclear phase-out.
Going Forward:
Now, Belgium isn't just planning to extend the lifespan of its existing reactors, but is also considering constructing new ones, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) using lead-cooled technology. A proposed SMR is slated for construction in Mol, Belgium, as part of the European EU-SMR-LFR project by 2035.
These developments mark a drastic shift in Belgium's energy policy, moving from a phase-out strategy to a more expansive role for nuclear energy in the national energy mix. It's a turn from the past, indeed--one that's causing ripples in Europe's nuclear landscape.
[1] ntv.de[3] ino/dpa[4] SCK-CEN Lead-Cooled SMR project[5] Belgian Nuclear Phase-Out Reconsidered
- Belgium's recent decision to prolong the lives of its nuclear reactors and potentially construct new ones, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), indicates a significant shift in its employment policy and policy-and-legislation regarding energy.
- This change in energy policy could potentially impact the vocational training requirements within the renewable-energy and nuclear industry, as the focus on nuclear energy will necessitate a skilled workforce.
- The financing of these nuclear projects, particularly the construction of SMRs, may attract interest from the finance industry given the long-term prospect and potential economic benefits associated with the nuclear power sector.
- The decision to extend the lifespan of Belgian nuclear reactors and consider new construction, in the context of war-and-conflicts such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, raises questions about Europe's energy security and dependence on foreign supplies.
- The general-news landscape will monitor developments within Belgium as it reconciles its community policy on nuclear energy with that of its neighboring countries like Germany, which has phased out nuclear power, and Italy, the only country to have fully implemented a nuclear phase-out.
