The Belgian government acts a turn to 180 degrees with the revival of the atom

While Belgium has been planning to have released nuclear for over twenty years, the new government coalition now wishes to extend the exploitation of at least two reactors but also promote the construction of new slices.
Will Belgium move away from Germany to get closer to France on the energy field? In 2003, the country made the decision to gradually leave nuclear like the Germans. More than twenty years later, the new Federal Government Rétropedale. The large coalition called “Arizona”, composed of the reforming movement (MR), Flemish nationalists of the N-VA, committed (centrists), Christian Democrats of the CD&V and Dutch-speaking socio-democrats of Vooruit, now plans to extend existing reactors that meet safety standards.
In the coalition agreement concluded on Friday, the federal government acts the extension of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors for ten additional years. The previous coalition, Vivaldi, had already agreed with the operator ENGIE of an extension of ten years of the functioning of these tranches which will therefore be exploited at least until 2035. On the other hand, the French energetician is reluctant as to an extension Until 2045:
“Developing electricity production on a nuclear basis, it is no longer one of our strategic priorities”, explains to RTL Vincent Verbeke, boss of Engie Belgium, who evokes an accent rather placed on the development of renewable energies or flexibility.
However, other slices could be affected by extensions while the Belgian subsidiary of Engie Electrabel must stop this year the three oldest installations in the country (Doel 1 and 2 and Tihange 1). As such, the Arizona coalition indicated that it would start discussions with the nuclear operator and the owners of the sites such as the Belgian subsidiary of EDF, Luminus, which holds 10% of Doel 4 and Tihange 3 or EDF Belgium which is held 50% of Tihange 1.
Construction of new nuclear reactors
But the federal government does not only focus on the extension of existing tranches to ensure its electrical supply in the coming decades. He also wishes to use new installations in order to bring to 4 GW the part of nuclear in the national energy mix. To facilitate and accelerate the construction of new reactors, the new government intends in particular to “remove all obstacles”, starting with the repeal of the 2003 nuclear release law.
In this perspective, the Arizona coalition has also announced that it would support the creation of an international consortium in order to build a small modular reactor (SMR) of fourth generation demonstration on Belgian territory. SMR installations are envisaged by several countries, including France but also China or the United States, in order to electrify industrial sites or produce heat. These equipment is for some of the reduced versions of pressurized water reactors but many are still at the stage of the demonstrator.
First importer of French electricity in 2024
Last year, Belgium largely benefited from French electricity exports like all the border countries in France. According to the manager of the RTE electricity transport network, France posted a positive balance of 27.2 TWh with Belgium and Germany in front of Italy (+22.3 TWh), the United Kingdom (+21 TWh ), Switzerland (+16.7 TWh) as well as Spain, in a lesser proportion (+2.8 TWh).
Since the war in Ukraine, Europe has lost its cheap Russian gas supply and has undergone a cost of energy much higher than its international competitors. To save its industry, the European Union must reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
“We must further develop our energy production from renewable sources, and, in some countries, nuclear,” said Davos Ursula von der Leyen at the end of January, recognizing the role of the long taboo atom in Brussels.