Belgium wants to extend the period of operation of its nuclear power plants
According to national press reports, the government has asked Engie, the country’s nuclear power plant operator, to analyze 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 hold negotiations with officials from the energy company Engie.
The Engie company will complete its study on the state of the reactors and whether they can be expanded by mid-March and will present it to the Federal Nuclear Inspection Agency.
In case of agreement between the government and the energy company, the Doel 1, Doel 2 and Tihange 1 reactors will remain as “nuclear reserves” for 2 years from 2025 and will continue to operate.
In order for these reactors to stay in operation for a longer period of time, they need to produce electricity at a lower level, especially in summer periods, and increase their maximum capacity in winter periods.
REACTORS SHOULD BE CLOSED BY 2025
The reactors in question must be closed by 2025, according to the denuclearization law drafted by previous governments.
A total of 7 reactors were operating in Belgium, 4 of which were at the Doel nuclear power plant near the Dutch border and 3 at the Tihange nuclear power plant near the German-Luxembourg border.
The electricity produced by these reactors normally covered around half of the country’s needs.
Before the Russia-Ukraine War, the Belgian government had prepared a plan for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants by 2025.
In accordance with the decisions of previous 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 operation period of these reactors, but in the negotiations between the reactor operators and the government, it was determined that it was not technically and legally possible to postpone the process of shutdown at this stage, and this would pose security risks.
TIME EXTENSION OF 2 REACTORS
On the other hand, Belgium decided to extend the operational period of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors, which it had previously planned to close in 2025, by 10 years to avoid power 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 came online in 1975, each have an electricity production capacity of 445 megawatt-hours, while the Tihange 1 reactor, which came online in the same year, has a electricity production capacity of 962 megawatt-hours. (AA)