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Country plans to shutter most of reactor fleet, which has provided about 50% of energy needs
The Doel nuclear power station near Antwerp in Belgium, where two units might operate for longer. Courtesy Engie.
A large majority of Belgians is in favour of the long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants – in a country which has decided to shutter most of its reactor fleet by 2025, a poll has shown.
The poll, commissioned by local media outlets Le Soir, RTL Info, Het Laatste Nieuws and VTM, found that 69% of Belgians approve the government’s decision of March 2022 to allow the two newest nuclear plants, Doel-4 and Tihange-3,to operate for 10-years beyond 2025.
The poll, commissioned by local media outlets Le Soir, RTL Info, Het Laatste Nieuws and VTM, found that 69% of Belgians approve the government’s decision of March 2022 to allow the two newest nuclear plants, Doel-4 and Tihange-3,to operate for 10-years beyond 2025.
According to the poll, conducted in March, 58% of respondents were in favour of extending the operating lifetime of all seven units in Belgium’s reactor fleet, two of which – Doel-3 and Tihange-2 – have already been shut down, bringing the number in operation to five.
- Source: Nucnet
- Date: Thursday, 06 April 2023
- Original article: nucnet.org/news/poll-shows-large-majority-in-favour-of-keeping-nuclear-plants-online-4-3-2023
Two reactors have shut down permanently in recent months
Unit 3 at the Doel-3 nuclear station was permanently shut down in September 2022.
Belgium’s fleet of commercial nuclear power plants accounted for 47.3% of the country’s electricity mix in 2022, making nuclear the most significant source of low-carbon electricity.
The International Atomic Energy Agency puts the 2021 figure for nuclear at 50.8%, but that was before the permanent shutdown of the Doel-3 nuclear plant in September 2022, bringing the number of commercial units in operation in the country to six.
Tihange-2 was taken offline earlier this month, leaving Belgium with five nuclear plants available.
Doel-1, Doel-2 and Tihange-1 are set to shut down in 2025, potentially leaving Belgium with just two plants in operation.
The International Atomic Energy Agency puts the 2021 figure for nuclear at 50.8%, but that was before the permanent shutdown of the Doel-3 nuclear plant in September 2022, bringing the number of commercial units in operation in the country to six.
Tihange-2 was taken offline earlier this month, leaving Belgium with five nuclear plants available.
Doel-1, Doel-2 and Tihange-1 are set to shut down in 2025, potentially leaving Belgium with just two plants in operation.
The Brussels-based Belgian Nuclear Forum said almost one fifth of Belgium’s electricity was generated by other low-carbon technologies in 2022, with 7.5% from offshore wind, 5% from onshore wind and 7.3% solar.
- Source: Nucnet
- Date: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
- Original article: nucnet.org/news/nuclear-remains-most-significant-source-of-low-carbon-electricity-2-1-2023