Alexander De Croo was visibly relieved when he made an important announcement to the press on Friday morning. In principle, an agreement was reached with the operator of the Belgian nuclear power plants to extend the service life of two reactors by ten years, i.e. up to the year 2036. “This is a decisive step to ensure our country’s energy independence,” said the Belgian Prime minister. “For the first time, we’re taking control of our energy destiny, and we’re doing it intelligently.” Sitting next to him, with a much more serious expression, was Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten. The Flemish Greens have been conducting the difficult negotiations with the operator Engie Electrabel for the past four months – as a representative of a party that was fully committed to the nuclear phase-out in 2025.
However, Van der Straeten also admitted frankly that the framework conditions had changed fundamentally. The decision was “made in the context of a war on European soil”. The energy supply has thus become a question of national security, which is why the decision brings security for companies and citizens. “Yes, there will be a price,” she said, “but the benefits will outweigh the price.” Belgium is thus setting an example that could also have an impact on the debate about extending the service life in Germany. After the Netherlands, it is the second neighboring country to revise its nuclear phase-out plans. Two new nuclear power plants are to be built in the Netherlands.
Originally, Belgium wanted to exit in 2025
In autumn 2020, after long and complicated negotiations, the seven-party coalition governing Brussels reaffirmed its goal of phasing out nuclear energy by 2025. However, the compromise provided for a report on security of supply and price developments. In turn, the Walloon Liberals used this last November to link a continuation of the coalition with an extension of the term. In March, three weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the coalition then actually agreed that the reactors Doel-4 near Antwerp and Tihange-3 near Liège will remain online for ten years longer. These two youngest reactors were put into operation in 1985 and have a total output of two gigawatts.
But that was only the beginning of the most difficult part, the negotiations with the French energy company Engie. Initially, he had no interest in an extension and instead wanted to focus on the expansion of renewable energies. The company pointed out that a decision to extend it should have been made earlier. Of course, it was also about driving up the price. This not only affected the necessary investments of at least one billion euros in the safety of the two reactors. It was also about sharing the operating risk and the costs of dismantling and disposal of the nuclear waste. They are estimated by the government at 41 billion euros. Engie was able to negotiate from a position of strength and kept setting new terms.
These negotiations are not yet complete, but now the main elements are clear. The two reactors are scheduled to start up again in November 2026 after a year of modernization. Engie and the Belgian state set up a joint company to operate it. De Croo made it clear on Friday that this is a fifty percent equity stake, with which the state can secure a strategic say. However, they will not interfere in the operational management of the company. Engie will bear the costs of dismantling. The costs of nuclear waste disposal are to be determined on the basis of a new report. Negotiations will then revolve around a “ceiling” for Engie; the state assumes the risk for payments in excess of this. This is getting closer to the German model, said De Croo. A written agreement should be in place by the end of the year.
The leader of the Walloon Liberals, who drove the nuclear turnaround last year, called for the extension of further reactors on Friday. “Otherwise our country risks blackout and dramatic prices,” wrote Georges-Louis Bouchez on Twitter. Five more units are still in operation in Belgium, which according to a phased plan are to be decommissioned by 2025, after a period of forty years each. Next, Doel-3 will go offline in late September and Tihange-2 in early February next year. Last week, the Flemish energy minister called for this to be postponed by two months in order to get through the winter better. However, Engie immediately rejected it. A spokeswoman said it would take five years to prepare for an extension. The fuel rods would have to be completely renewed, and safety would have to be extensively checked.
#Agreement #energy #company #Belgium #leaves #nuclear #power #plants #ten #years #longer #grid